Maximum Ride: Too Good to be True
by A.S Lee
Summary: The Flock’s life is finally normal or the closest to normal possible for them. Everything is going smoothly, right? What will happen when it all fails? And if this time the world can't be saved? after MR 3 Join in the Ride is just starting-as of 9/8/08
1. Chapter 1

**Hey this is MY First Story- so please review, and tell the truth don't be afraid to be mean. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Maximum Ride, the first three and up coming fourth are the work of James Patterson**

**Claimer: Any new plot twists, corks and screws are mine unless otherwise stated.**

**Again please review, and enjoy…**

**Ch. 1 **

"Max I can't believe you found your parents, and they are so nice. Well I don't know about Jeb but he was nice. But Ms, Martinez, can we live with he. It would be so cool. Unless of course like Anne she sends us to a stupid school, not that she would…"

I took a breathe I knew Nudge had been too quite "Okay, we can turn back after we take the one-last-look Angel wanted."

Iggy was flying in the rear of the flock, for some reason I really felt he didn't want to go back. I looked over at Fang he nodded and I drifted back.

"Hey"

"Hi, you okay?"

"Yah just, I won't be able to see it, and well I kind of was the person who made it go BOOM!"

"Ig you know that doesn't matter we can always rebuild, move relocate." I knew where he was coming from, I didn't want to go back either. Too many memories, too much emotion, and well I promised Angel. Try breaking a promise to that kid and you'll be sorry.

I looked up at the rest of the flock, we were landing. It was time.

Okay look just incase you aren't on board. I'm Max I am 14 and the leader of our group, then there is Fang he dark, silent and strong also 14 and Iggy 14 too and blind. Then motor-mouth Nudge,11, Gazzy the Gasman, 8, and his sister Angel 6.If you haven't read the first 3 books, I am not telling the whole story, but we have wings, have saved the world and are enemies of Intex, the School, and any other sickos who are with them. Get it, got it, good.

We had just barely landed, Total (sorry, forgot about him- talking dog Angel picked up in New York.) had gone of to sniff and do other doggly things. When we all looked at each other, worst case scenario: booby trap, best case scenario: Iggy happened to leave a super sensitive motion sensing bomb. Oddly enough this happened to be beat case.

"Up!" I shouted at the top of my lungs and shot a piercing glance to Iggy, right he's blind.

When we safe up in the air Iggy said "sorry, I forgot about that, or thought they would have searched the rubble by now."

"Its fine but, dude there is a reason I don't like bombs being left around." I rolled my eyes to Gazzy not the pyro of Iggy but still in favor of big booms and mischief. "To the Martinez's"

The rest of the flight was silent.

**Hope you enjoyed, please review next chapter will be posted soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's the next chapter, enjoy review please.**

**Disclaimer-Maximum Ride is the property of James Patterson**

**Claimer- Any new plots are mine unless otherwise stated.**

At landing Mom came out and embraced us. "wasn't expecting to see you so soon."

"Just out for a fly sorry." Fang said.

"Well come in come in. Ella is back from school now."

"Great!" I through my hands into the air and motioned for the flock to fallow.

After about 50min. a fresh batch of cookies was out of the oven, and we were sitting around the table talking and eating.

"So what are you plans?" Ella so inesently asked, for a non-flock member.

I looked around, the flock seemed content "um, can we hang here for awhile?"

"Sure!" Ella nearly jumped out of her chair.

"Great." Mom sat down "how long? Not that it matters, you are family, just curious."

I opened my mouth to answer, but Fang got it out first "just for a litte while."

Yah, leave it to Fang, strong, silent, trustworthy, and "friends" with my mom. Seriously, last time we stayed here he'd talk with her for hours at a time. He doesn't even talk that much with us.

**Again please Review, hopefully I will get the next chapter up soon, I just need to type it…long story. Please Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's Chapter Three. I know its short, but that's part of its glory. Read, enjoy and please review.**

**Disclaimer- James Patterson is the author of the Maximum Ride books of which this story is based off of.**

Last night we stayed up late talking, playing games and eating cookies. It still is amazing, to me at least that Ella's little cottage could easily hold all of us. Nudge and Angle shared a room, the boys shared a room, and Ella and I shared a room, there was still one guest bedroom left that Fang sometimes used when he needed his space.

The sun was shining though the curtains. I got up, careful not to wake up Ella, and went to the kitchen/dining area.

"Hey Max!" Nudge wave "want an umlaut, Iggy's making them Thank You, for letting us stay here. Um, oh yah the beds are so comfy. You are so lucky. Your mom is so nice!"

"Good Morning Nudge. Sure Ig hook me up" I sat down the table, Angel and Total then both hopped on my lap.

"Hey." Total licked my hands.

"What have we talked about?"

"What, I'm a dog, dogs lick hands."

'Uh-hah." I said as Fang walked in. "you okay?"

"Fine." right the kid won't ever tell you anything about. His, you know problems, bugs, things holding you down, pet peeves.

You would be appalled if you walked in on us at that second. Gazzy was shoving eggs down his throat, Angel and Total were racing to finish eating, and Nudge was talking while chewing. The only three of us with remotely any manners were the three oldest, and they were still very shabby. Hey what can I say we kick butt not go to dinner parties. Luckily thought the flocks ill manners didn't seem to faze my mom.

"Morning guys" she walked in and grabbed a cup of coffee. "Is Ella up yet?"

"No."

"Okay, then I better wake her up, she's got school in 15 min." and with that she rushed off to get Ella up.

"Poor Ella. She has to go to school!" Nudge said.

"Why?" alright I can't say I didn't know why, the flock and school not the bes match "Ella said that school could be okay, even fun." Fang looked up at me his eyes cold and dark boring holes in me.

**Again I know its short. Please review. **

**What's bothering Fang? Hopefully I'll get the next chapters posted soon, but until then food for that.**

**Please, please Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, here is the next chapter, I did take****AsanteSanaSquashBanana's****idea, and compounded this chapter with the next, also I added in Sam as ****Gabriel Wolfe**** had insinuated, but not in the way he/she had originally guessed.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Maximum Ride Characters**

**Fang's blog is mentioned here. If you like me are a total detail freak, and try to connect this up with the "real" Fang's blog they will not connect- this one is fictional, and like my version.**

**Enjoy please review******

After we finished eating and Ella was off to school, everyone did there own thing. Fang went off, to be alone as usual, but he wasn't going to get away with that this time! So I naturally took off after him. By the way stocking Fang is not the easiest thing, now I know how the school must feel tracking us, but the world won't end when I catch up to him.

He finally landed on a cliff that looked over a lake and naturally in like two seconds I creped up behind him. "Max!" he jumped to his feet about ready to take off, it wasn't going to be that easy.

"Yes, and sit. I am not evil. Unless you have sided with the school."

"Leave-me-alone." His voice was dark cold and definite.

"No." what did I fallow him for. "What's bugging you, the kids aren't around so you can't scare them, and I have told you a fair share of secrets." To true.

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me!"

"School, safety, fun, okay?"

"What is something wrong with me making Nudge not horrified of the idea, or pitying of those who spend there time there? Or is there something else from last time?"

"No and No! You are over that jerk right?"

"Um who?" think, think… oh right Anne's house we went to school I dated Sam. "Oh Sam, yah I'm over him I forgot about him until to day. I that's what's bugging you?"

"No, just nice to know."

Could he make this any harder, "fine if you give me three hints I guess, if I am wrong I'll leave, if I'm right then you give me the story. Does that work?" what was I doing I know I could never guess what he's thinking even with 20 clue, but it's a lead.

"Right, then 1) what's happened recently. 2) It includes the whole flock. 3) Itex."

"Could you be more or less broad?"

"You said three hints, I gave you three."

I knew it wouldn't work but at least its something now. "Are you worried my mom is still connected with Itex?" that's a thought, I mean no matter how great she, was did she did work for them once, and donated me. It's possible, but not likely, I mean she didn't know anything about us till I showed up at her doorstep.

"No, god, you Mom is great. How could you even…" he flew off I said I wouldn't stop him, technically I wasn't strong enough to stop an upset Fang.

So with nothing else to do, I went of towards home, when I got there Nudge was waiting, I suppose she didn't have anyone to talk to. "Hey max!" I went over to the computer; I hope she knew I wasn't going to listen to anything she said "what are you doing? There are lots you can do on the computer. Remember we used to…" I blocked out here droning.

Alright, Fang doesn't talk to me, but he talks to his bloggers doesn't he, maybe his blog will have more a clue. So to his blog I went. After I figuring out how to navigate the thing (apparently he, reorganized the blog since last time I was on) I got to the most resent posts.

WOW! If I was worried about Fang earlier, I was more now. He lived on his blog, when we were on the run nearly every stop he would post. But he hadn't posted since we blew up Itex, well before, he was on his way to Germany to save me. We had been safe; we had had time, why hadn't he posted. Plus wouldn't he or shouldn't he thank all those kids who helped save the world. Alright, my mind was wondering, back to what's wrong with Fang.

"Max, are you blogging, I thought you didn't approve of it, but then again it did save our life, and the world. I have blogged before, way beck when we were still on the run. Do you remember when…" Earth to Nudge, I'm not listening but you have a good idea, sort of.

Now, I know this is off topic again but, I looked for a way to post a blog. Did I want to ask Nudge? No, good I found it…

_You are reading Fang's Blog. Welcome!, this is Max, though._

_Today's date: does, it matter? Yes Nov. 5_

_You are visitor number: things broken!_

_Hi, Max here. Finally. Just to say sorry fang hasn't thanked you for all of your help saving me and the world. Girl who drove the Humvee, you were great!_

_To more serious topics. Fang has been bugged out lately and I don't know why. Plus he hasn't posted in forever, totally not him. Does anyone have a better idea than I do on what could be bugging him? Please if you do please, please tell me it is important! _

_Is there anything else to say other than thank you, and if you are wondering we are safe, but I won't tell you where cause then we might not be! ', Max!_

…done, I hope this works. I need to know what's bothering Fang! When he stares at me like that I totally like flip out, if you can't tell. And I care about him, in a brotherly, sisterly way love him, you know don't you.

**I hope you liked. Any ideas that you want in the next chapter. I will update soon, hopefully. Please review.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay here's the next, chapter, you guys are lucky I almost didn't want to write it.**

**Disclaimer; I don't own any of the Maximum Ride Characters**

**Please Review.**

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The rest of the day was like well, hard. Not really compared to what we are used to but, on your prospect, hard. I was lost, I needed to know what was wrong with Fang, and something was nagging in my stomach. Well if that says anything, I spent the rest of the day playing with Angel and Total. Then when Ella came home we talked, she is even more clueless than me, well dah.

After a hot shower I was in bed. Trying to relax my mind, yoga whatever it took, Ella was already asleep. Then there was a knock on our door, "come in" it was Iggy.

"Max, Fang's gone crazy."

"What!" I bolted up right careful to keep the covers over me, the one time I decide to… "Is he okay, are you okay?" not good.

"Um, well he didn't bother to leave. I couldn't see but it sounded like he was knocking stuff over, he wasn't saying anything but I think he is now. I got away, I'm fine. Gazzy though is still in there, he's probably still okay."

"Great, go get Gazzy out, I be in, in a sec. okay?"

"Fine but why don't you come now."

"Oh um, you know?" duh he's, blind, note to self: start remembering Iggy's blind.

"No, I don't. Just hurry up please." With that he left. I sprung out of my bed and whipped on clothes, and ran down the hall.

Gazzy and Iggy were standing out side the door; Gazzy's eyes were watering "Max, I'm scared."

He's only eight, Fang was his star. How could he do this, Fang knows that the younger set looks up to him, hey I look up to him. "Oh, Gazzy its, okay. Fang just needs time to cool down. He didn't mean to scare you." I hugged him. Fang is so going to be dead.

By this, time Mom, and everyone else had waken up and gathered around the door. I took a breathe "I'm going in."

"You sure, Max. I can come in to." It was Mom, what a motherly thing to do but I knew I had to do this myself.

"I'm fine." I opened the door. "Fang?" he was sitting on the floor hid head in his hands, crying. I touched his shoulder, he shrugged, safe to proceed "you want to talk?"

"No."

"Would you if you didn't have a choice?" I didn't let him answer. "Gazzy's really scared, not to mention, everyone else in the house, you could of at least given notice."

He looked up "sorry, I just can't stand it any more."

"What is it?" hello, I can't read minds like Angel.

"Nothing."

"Fang!" I knew this wasn't the time to lecture him but, come on he has to have some point to open up, he's already broke. "You can tell me." next what happened I can't believe, but I kissed him. Not like I haven't in the past, but it's normally his first move, "I'll understand."

"Fine," he was so hesitant "it just, you know…"

"No, I don't"

"Um, killed," okay show sympathy, no matter how jerk like he has been "Anne."

"That's it?"

"No, Jeb." come on keep going "Jeb said that,"

"Fang don't trust anything Jeb, says with out reason, you know that." Oh my god, I knew where he was going.

"She was my, mother. And I know Jeb, and I have reason, her last words, and something I found at her house."

"Fang, oh Fang." I hugged him not knowing what else to do, "what made it so, obvious today though? 

"Nothing."

Right if he expected me to believe that, "then why did you star at me so hard this morning?"

"Oh, um, the thing, that you can't tell them that. I know you had your reasons, but you can't justify School."

"That's enough to tick you off, I don't think so." okay, I know I should be gentle, he always has been with be, but this wasn't adding up.

"Max, it all traces back to Anne. I told you, you wouldn't understand." He took a breathe "she was the one who sent us to school, that was were I started the Blog, and the thing I found was, was a picture of her pregnant, then on the back it said 'to science, to save the world' and that means you know, and what she said right before I gave the fatal blow 'I thought you would help the world, if I gave you…" then I killed her."

Oh my god, I feel like I didn't care he had all the right be this upset, I still had questions, but they would have to wait. "Fang, I'm so sorry, I didn't know."

He kissed me, and I let him hold on for as long as he wanted. Then there was a knock on the door, and then Mom came in "you guys okay?" she took a closer look at Fang, "your hands are cut."

"Yah, sorry, I did some punching" he waved his hand around the room.

"Come on, I'll get you fixed up, but is there anything you want to talk about?"

"No, but can I talk to Max a little more?" Fang asked.

"No, but you can in the morning." Mom said, I wonder how he'd take it "The younger kids need to get to bed."

"Okay." With that it was over.

After getting everyone settled in again and the boy's room cleaned I finally got to sleep. I knew that in the morning everything would be back to normal, and Fang and I could finish talking.

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**Just a thought but how would you like a chapter in Fang's POV?**

**Or Iggy and Ella develop a relationship?**

**And how do you feel about my FAX?**

**And should I include everyone else more?**

**Please review, and answer my questions, cause if you don't I'll do what I want.**

**Again Please Review.**


	6. Chapter 6

Okay, here's the next chapter, its kind of short, but its in Fangs POV. Read and review. 

**Disclaimer: James Patterson is the original author of Maximum Ride**

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Fang's POV 

"What did you hit?" Max's Mom asked as she was bandaging me up after my little rampage.

"Uh, I don't know, a lot of things. Sorry about any damage."

"That's fine. There you go you need your sleep." With that I was ushered off to bed. Does anyone ever realize I am only 14 but her. It feels good to be tucked in, to not have to worry, to be a kid. Man I felt childhood depriped, how does Max feel.

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I woke up kind of hazy, then I remembered last night. God, did I really share that with Max, did she really kiss me.

"Your up." Iggy sounded pissed.

"Yah, sorry."

"You should be. By the way what was that about? And you can't hide it from us, or I'll tell Max she can release it on you, last night when I told here she was really mad and worried."

Does Iggy have to know every personal weakness? Yes, well then that sucks "I killed my Mom."

"What!" nice Iggy, be glad I told you "I suppose that's enough, should I tell the Gasman?"

"If you want, just don't make me." I shoved my way past him and into the kitchen only Mom, and Max were up, nice just what I need.

"Hey, Fang. Are you ready to talk?" if that was Max, tell her she needs to get away from all things motherly.

"sure, after I eat." So I ate and we were off, I lead her to that cliff she stalked be to the other day. "Is this private enough?"

"Yah, Fang, I am so sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?" she started off.

"No, but do you rember awhile beck when we thaught my Mom was some teenage crack head, and I said sometimes it is better not to know, well I was right." I don't care about my rep, I just want help, I want Max to understand, "by the way has Jeb contacted you via mind lately?"

"No why?" Max answered, what was I expecting.

"I don't know, I am even more confused now. Do you think Jeb cared about Ann, or just felt like making me go all emotional about killing someone? Max, I need to talk to him I mean he is a jerk and I want to cut all conections, but."

"Sure, I'll try to get him but first," her voice turned more serious "fang why haven't you blogged?"

"You checked!" I almost grinned, I thaught Max thaught it was stupid. "Oh, um, another thing that has been bothering me is how do we know that Itex, and the School are gone, how do we know we destroyed them, life has been to easy, and I don't want to prematurely scare people."

"That makes sense, anything else?" Max said, her hair whipping around her face from the wind, making her look like she was about to drift away (without wings) into the sky, and her face with such an expretion you couldn't tell who she really was.

"Yah lets have some fun today, the whole flock, just us."

"What?" is she a kid or what, oh well Max is still adjusting.

"Go do something, all of us, just play around, forget about the world, and then tomorrow we can save it or just mend its ills."

"Oh, sounds great." She jumped to her feet with new jubilation "where will we go?"

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**I hope you enjoyed, please review. Next chapter will be up soon. Thanks so much for reading, this is my first fic, and I feel it is going so well. Any ideas you guys want in, or advice you have to make it better my ears are open. Again thanks and please review.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Back to Max's POV, oh a mistake from the last chapter when I said "****kitchen only Mom, and Max were up, nice just what I need." I meant "Max and her Mom were up, nice just what I need." Just incase that confused you, plus a bunch of typos-sorry. **

**Disclamer-James Patterson owns the Maximum Ride characters.**

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"Go do something, all of us, just play around, forget about the world, and then tomorrow we can save it or just mend its ills." Fang said after we talked on the cliff, how could I still be mad at him?

"Oh, sounds great." I jumped to my feet "where will we go?"

"Don't know, why don't we let the others decide?"

This sounded good to me, Angel will want to go to Disney world, but sorry hun, we aren't flying to Florida or California and still getting back in one day. "Sure, let's go." With that we flew back to the house. It turns out it was a Saturday so Ella didn't have school, which sort of made me feel bad for leaving her on her day off, but she said not to worry so now we are in the air trying to decide what to do.

"There is a lake near by, we could go to one of its beaches. But then we might not want to, beaches always tend to make really weird things happen to us. Remember the time when Angel found out that she could breathe under water? Or a sadder time when Fang got mauled, or when Max cut her arm? Some of the times were fun others were scary and sad. So do we want to go?" Nudge through the idea in the air.

"Yah" Gazzy and Angel said.

"Sure." Iggy gave in, and Fang shrugged.

"Aw, but the sand gets in my fur, and takes forever to get out, and I'm one of those dogs afraid that's of water" Total complained.

"Any other, ideas?" no answer, tough cookies Total "To the beach it is, then."

Once we were there it was pretty much uneventful, a first for us on a beach, but a relaxing change. We spent all day there, for lunch Angel mind control caught us some fish, and Fang roasted it, sound familiar? After that we just played around. I felt like a kid for the first time in like forever, I had nearly forgotten I was only 14, this was probably good for Fang too, to just let go of the troubles. We went home that when it started to get dark.

When I was going to bed Angel came in to my room. "Hey, sweetie."

"Hi, Max." her angelic eyes looked up into mine "today was really fun. Can I sleep with you tonight, like a slumber party?"

"Sure." I spread my wings out a little, just to stretch my muscles. "Hop, in." I made some room in my bed.

"Thanks, so much Max. Is Fang okay?"

"Yah, he just needed to let it out, we all do sometimes." Please, oh please tell me that Angel isn't going to ask.

"What was wrong with him Max?" she did, oh well.

"Like I said Angel, he had a lot going on, he just needed to release some energy."

That must have suited her, because she snuggled into me and we drifted off to sleep, tomorrow, for some reason I feel that we are going to be doing research tomorrow, or in the not to distant future.

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**I hope you liked it again, I want to apologize for mistakes in previous chapters, it has also been pointed out I have been forgetting to capitalize characters names-thanks ****AsanteSanaSquashBanana.,****AKA Roo. Another thanks to Roo, for doing beta, so for other readers out there this just means you'll have to wait a little long, you can hold your horses though, I'll still post a lot! Thanks again.**

**Any ideas I'm open. And please, please review.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi, here's the next chapter I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: James Patterson is the original author of Maximum Ride**

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'Good morning Max.'

I woke up, the Voice, my dad, Jeb was back. 'Yes" I answered careful to use my mind, instead of waking up Angel.

'Fang wanted you to talk to me?'

'Yes, how do you know, you weren't listening in were you, having someone talk to me in my head is bad enough.' No kidding.

'Then here I am.'

No duh, Jeb, 'Great I talked, bye.'

'How's the flock doing? Any questions?'

I thought, what was it Fang wanted, oh yah 'Jeb is there anyway to contact you out of my head? Yes, the flock is fine, and how dare you play with Fang like that. Sure, killing is a little extreme, but you don't need to send him, to send us through that roller coaster.'

'Max, he can handle himself, you don't have to worry. And yes if you must know, e-mail.'

'Great, and no, I need Fang and Fang needs me, and the rest of the Flock needs us. Out of my head' what a nice morning wake up, how does he get in my head?

"Max are you okay?" Angel was tugging on my arm.

"Yah, sweetie, I'm fine. Are you hungry?"

"Yes, I think that Iggy's up."

With that we went into the kitchen, and Angel was right Iggy was already up. We sat around the table silently, Iggy was working on breakfast, and one by one the rest of the house woke up and came into the kitchen, it was so fun to just talk about yesterday. Ella and Mom asked if we wanted to go to church, we had never actually been, and none of us were really religious, on the run it's kind of hard. So we went it would, could be fun, and it was. At the Church they go to they have youth groups, and the option to just listen to mass. Fang chose to sit and listen, but everyone else chose the youth group. Ella and I goofed of the whole time, then Iggy joined us, Angel was playing with some kids her age, and Gazzy was doing some kind of virtual dance thing. It amazed me how much we were accepted.

After that we went home and I decided to do some research on the computer, Angel and Total were in the woods, Gazzy and Iggy were in a corner (probably making bombs) and Fang was off for a flight. That left Nudge to talk to me, I hope she knows I wasn't going to listen to her as usual, but last time she did help.

"Hi, Max, are you blogging again, I think what you did last time was so cool. I mean it was kind of mean of Fang to not thank all of those people, after they helped destroy Itex, except for you know, I am kind of sure that he had his reasons and didn't mean to be rude. I am sure everyone else forgives him. And I so totally love computers…" block out Nudge.

Jeb said that I could contact him by e-mail, not that I really wanted to contact that jerk, but my gut said we just needed to, plus e-mail had saved my life, and well that gets Jeb and his fortune cookies out of my head, hopefully.

Ella walked in the room "Hey Max. Are you getting an e-mail?"

"Yah"

Then Nudge started up again "Oh cool, Max you are getting an e-mail, so, so cool. Why? Can I have one?"

"Yes Nudge, after I am finished, but why do you need one?" yah I had my reasons but who would Nudge contact?

"Do you need help?" Ella luckily saw I hadn't a clue about what I was doing before Nudge; it is so embarrassing when she has to take over.

"Yah, could you?"

"Sure." I scooted over and Ella started typing, not as fast a Nudge or Fang but fast compared to me, Gazzy and Angel. Then I all of a sudden had an e-mail account. "There, anything else you want help with, Iggy and I were going to take Gazzy for ice-cream if you want to come."

"That's fine." I still had stuff I wanted to finish up anyway. "You guys can go. Nudge do you want to go with them?"

"Yes, Ice-cream, I love Ice-cream. Thank you Max, Thank you Ella. I think I'll get a cone with…"a simple yes would have sufficed.

And like that it was just me, I checked Fangs blog, good he's been on recently, and I'm glad I found out what's wrong with him before I took the fans to heart, conspiracy, and love, and broken heart, and cheating, and other stuff neither of us really care about. Then I Google searched Itex. Oops, sorry economy of the world we didn't think about how taking out your biggest player would mess you up to much. Then I took a closer look at the stats, I had found they were coming back after a huge plummet in every thing Itex was coming back ,slowly but surely. Were they still bad (they could be) or were they just a bunch of factory workers trying to keep their jobs, and the world from going into a supplies shortage. Either way I had the right to be worried.

"What's that?" Angel crept up behind me.

"Stop doing that."

"Stop going what?'

"Nothing." Should I tell Angel what I found, I mean like it could totally affect her, but I didn't know what this meant.

"Max, you shouldn't hide stuff from me, I'll find out."

"Angel, I don't want, to scare you." She looked up at me her eyes so, well angelic.

"I'm fine."

"Your only six Angel, but…" I couldn't resist, I know I should have just not said anything, but this was Angel my little baby, and her angelic Bambi eyes "Its just some Itex, reports, like stuff with the economy and everything. Nothing much, but I don't know what we are going to do about diapers with out them hopefully one of the other companies will pick up the slack." The truth not the complete truth but something to tell Angel, and very true.

"Oh, well that's not the end of the world, at least people will still be alive." Was she only six?

"Hey, I think lack of diapers is a good thing." It was Total, who could guess? "Now they can't make that cheap dog chow crap that tasted like used diapers."

Angel patted his head "Nice on!" and they ran off.

I needed to tell Fang, and probably Iggy, Mom too, and talk to that jerk Jeb about this, but all of that will have to wait till after dinner. I smell Mom cooking Mexican.

'Nice way to think Maximum.'

'Jeb leave me alone, I have an e-mail, here use it next time not my head.'

'Fine, bye, you better check.'

'I will dad.' Can Jeb get any more annoying, oh well we could probably use him anyway.

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**There you go, Jeb/Dad/The Voice is back, but maybe not for to long. **

**Please Continue to Read and Review, and thank you so much to everyone who has been reviewing.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Great I have posted this far, so you could you please review.**

**I know that there's not all of the Maximum Ride action here, yet but there will be give it time, trust me I know where I am going.**

**Disclaimer- I do not own the characters of Maximum Ride, James Patterson does.**

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"Max what did you want to talk about?" You could sure tell that Mom wasn't used to our the world might end tomorrow if end tomorrow if we don't figure this out soon meeting.

We, being Mom, Iggy, Fang and I, were sitting around the kitchen table, talking about what we wanted to do about what I had found earlier. While the rest of the kids were out playing kick the can with Ella.

"I'm not positive, but I think Itex is coming back." I couldn't lie.

"What, we destroyed them, they can't come back." Iggy's eyes widened, just an effect that helped me forget that he was blind.

"They could still be, I'm thinking that the climb in the graph thingy is more of Itex factory workers trying to keep their jobs kind of thing." I really didn't want to freak everyone out.

"Max has her points, we really didn't think that destroying the world economy's main player would have that much of an effect. It might be a good thing like they are the distributors of everything." Fang just said the most I have ever in my life heard him say.

"Yah and it is more of a personal accomplishment it hasn't said anything in the media about Itex being destroyed. And as for the economy thing, that's why everything is like three times more expensive than normal." Mom, gave some adult, normal person wisdom, see we don't pay attention to that stuff - it doesn't matter to us.

"Yah but how do we know what this is?" I was lost.

"I don't know." Fang, back to the least amount of words possible to get his point across "Try Jeb."

"Fang has an idea, Jeb would probably know which, but can we trust anything that jerk tells us?" Wisdom from Iggy.

"No, but it is something to act on." I was devising a plan cause wait for it…

"Max what's the plan?" Everybody looked at me.

"I'll ask Jeb about it, and from what he tells us we'll make our move. But if we see one Eraser, one flyboy, one _anything_ from Itex we go kick some butt and more officially destroy Itex, this time with an Economy safety net."

"Sounds good." Fang supported me.

"What will you tell the younger kids?" Mom asked.

"Well, they don't like being left in the dark, but I'm not sure they need to know this until we have any definite." Poor Iggy until very recently he had been grouped with the younger kids.

"I told Angel there was a shortage of diapers already."

"Sounds like you guys have a plan. I like it, just be careful, if the worst happens."

"Don't worry mom."

Wow, that was a chip off my shoulder, now to contact Jeb. I logged onto my e-mail like Ella showed me how. I clicked on the first and only message…

_Dear Max,_

_You better check this e-mail. But you made the right choice about the Itex information. _

_It is true, and it might be bad, I don't know yet, that is what I'm looking into-after you and your group make your decision tell me._

_Maximum You Need My Help! If this e-mail thing doesn't work it back to telepathic communications. Understand?!_

_Jeb_

… you really can't be more unpleasant can you? I clicked on compose and sent Jeb this…

_Jeb,_

_No you are not hallucinating, I am not saying dear. We decided to go by what you tell us and if you don't tell us anything to kick but, when butt shows up for us to kick._

_And Jeb you are so going to be sorry if you get in my head to often, like at all. Most girls think not having a bedroom door is an impeachment of privacy, try having you father in your head. My thoughts, my experiences, are my own! Sure I might need you help, but I can think for my self with my own noggin' without your help, so bud out. And This E-Mail Thin, Will Work!_

_Maximum Ride_

…and I pressed send. What should I do sit here and wait for a response of go join kick the can and check in the morning? Its not like the world depended on it. Not this time Jeb.

So without any further ado I went out and joined the rest of the flock + Ella in kick the bed. Later after a nice warm muscle relaxing shower I went to bed, refreshed and ready to take on tomorrow. When it comes.

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**Please Review, and if you have barely read your way through this far and can't stand my work any more, go ahead and say so, is that not the point of reviewing? Speak your mind about my work, I am not offended easily. So, please, please, please Review there will be something in it for you.**


	10. Chapter 10

Okay here is the next chapter, everyone. You might recognize the dream from somewhere. Please read and Review.

Disclaimer: The characters of Maximum Ride, as is not the idea in the dream.

Claimer: any new plot twist are mine, and how I recycled the dream is my idea.

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I was running, running fast, ignoring the sticks and stones under my bare feet, ignoring the cuts on my arm from the briars. I had to get away, my life depended on it. I was running away from everything I ever knew. From the cruelty, and experiments, from the cages and tests, I was running from it all. Then I heard the monotonic drone of a Flyboy "I am one of many, you can not run, we will capture you." I could outrun any human that I knew, but I couldn't out run robots. Come, come on, I need a clearing. Yes! No, oh no, no a cliff, it will have to do. I jumped to what for any normal human would have been a death leap, but I wasn't ordinary. I unfurled my wings, letting the air catch them, and then pumped my muscles hard until I was high in the sky. I was really flying like I always knew I could, like I always dreamed of.

"You're not getting me today!" I screamed back, no, not today, I was going to live to see tomorrow. Then out of nowhere a red laser dot appeared on my chest, they had guns, I was dead. God oh god please let me live, let me be free…

I sat up in bed sweating, the dream, it was back, but with some new twist. Out of old habit I checked my nighties to make sure the red dot was gone, it was, good. When was the last time I had that dream? It was forever ago… Right it was when they kidnapped Angel, and our whole freaking journey began. "God, no. (Insert cuss word of your choice here)"

"What, what's wrong? Max are you okay?" Ella was up next to me.

"Yah, I'm fine just, just a really disturbing dream."

"Really, I don't think that's enough. What was the dream about?" Only Fang had ever really known me that well.

"Nothing much."

"Did it have something to do with Itex?"

Could I lie for much longer? Come on Max, think, come on you have to have a cover story, oh great I know "Not, really. Just…"

"Max, I know you're about to lie, just tell the truth, I'll go get Fang if that would help."

Alright, Ella is officially as crafty as Iggy when it comes to hitting your weakness. "Just, it's the dream I had before our whole story began. The one I had the night before they took Angel, sending us to save her. Then making us save the world and lose our home."

"What happens in the dream?"

"Does it matter?" I really didn't like to think about it, the dream was always so real; I don't like feeling that close to death.

"Not really. Will you be able to sleep?"

I thought, truthfully, probably not, but Ella doesn't need to know "Yah." The rest of the night I lay silent, thinking what it could mean, hoping nothing, just my conscience freaking out. But you know with us that you can never be too safe.

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I hope you enjoyed. Please read and review.


	11. Chapter 11

**Alright, now is when the Maximum Ride action is going to start taking place. So enjoy, and please review.**

**Disclaimer: the Maximum Ride characters are not mine. **

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To my relief when the morning finally came, Ella didn't question me about last night. After breakfast she went to school and Mom went to work as was normal by now, and the Flock was left to decide what to do.

"I want to go swimming." Angel stated blankly.

"That sounds like fun Ange, but its raining." Iggy rubbed Angel on the head.

"We could go to like the Y, with my mind control I could easily make them think nothings peculiar about us."

"The wing thing." Fang pointed out stretching out his wings for emphasize.

"I know, but I still think it would be such fun." Man, apparently Angel really wanted to swim.

"How about if the sun comes out we go to the beach and lake we went to on Saturday?" I offered.

"But Max, the sun isn't going to come out today." Angel was starting to wine.

"Yah, I agree with Angel we should go swimming." Great now Gazzy wants to go too.

"Guys, I want to go too, it would be so fun. We've never swum in an indoor pool before. We have swim suits. But then there's the wing problem, what if we wrapped them in skin colored gauze, and then put our suits on and say our skin is super sensitive to chlorine then no one would question us. I think it would work, and Max, it would be so fun." Great Nudge too, now.

I rolled my eyes at Fang, and Iggy cocked his head. Were we the only ones who saw that going swimming in a public indoor pool wouldn't work?

"Guys I have a better idea." Thank you Fang "how about we play board games all day, I will even play the pointless game that is Monopoly." Come on how could Angel resist that?

"Fine." Everyone finally gave in with a sigh. I let out a breath that I had apparently been holding throughout the whole conversation, everyone was happy.

So we played whatever board games we could find around the house. Then we heard a buzzing, Iggy jumped up so quickly none of us even had to think twice, Flyboys.

"Guys, don't forget me, guys!" Total came running and jumped into the old baby carrier, AKA dog carrier, hoping someone would pick it up, I did, no matter how much I will regret it later.

"Look, Max, I was wrong. It did stop raining." Angel pointed out as all of us took off into the air.

"That's good for the Flyboy's, not as much for us." Iggy yelled over the loudening buzz "They are electronic so they can't get wet."

"Oh, great." This was good, "do you think they will go after us if we dive into water?" I asked.

"They might, like they have before, when Fang, Gazzy and I needed to shake them off, they might be updated, but I doubt it."

"Ig, I don't know what you just said, but everyone dive bomb into the lake. Oh, and careful not to hit your head too hard on the bottom."

No one objected, but I have a feeling that Total wanted to, if it weren't such a life or death decision. Sadly it didn't work, the Flyboys stopped and hovered over the lake and started shooting their guns at us. Not good. 'Angel can you hear me?' Sometimes having a telepathic kid in your group was a good thing.

'Yah Max, how much air do you guys have left?'

'Not much, tell everyone to U and A then lead the Flyboys into clouds okay?'

'Sure, give me a sec.'

With in minutes we all were up in the air again this time trying to freeze ourselves to death, and shut down Flyboys in clouds. Man this kind of fighting is so different from fighting with Erasers. "Okay, guys I think we dwindled them down enough. We can take on the rest manually." I screamed out to let the flock know to land, just lucky for us there were no more left to take care of.

"Max," Gazzy came up to me "I thought that we destroyed Itex, and that they were going to leave us alone now." He sounded so scared and vulnerable, like an actual eight year old for once.

"I know Gazzy, I'll explain in a little." I whispered in his ear then called out for a report, no one was hurt but we had a lot of kids who were nearly in hypothermic shock. "We need to dry off and get warm. We aren't that far from the house, let's walk back." No one argued.

After getting dried off Total came up to me. "Never do that to me again."

"Sorry, Total."

"Yah, you better be."

"Max." Fang called over to me from the other room.

"Yah?"

"What now?"

"Um," I hadn't really thought about it that far, "we should probably leave to keep Ella and Mom safe. Do you want me to see what Jeb says?"

"Yah, that sounds good."

"Great." Why did Fang need to talk to me about that? Oh well.

I went over to the computer, as Iggy was explaining to the other kids what was going on. I went and checked my e-mail…

_Max,_

_First of all don't talk to me like that. Second of all - nice plan. I wish you luck and hope it works._

_Jeb, your Father_

… okay, that was freaky. I clicked on compose…

_Jeb, my dear old dad,_

_First of all I will speak to you however I feel. More seriously, we just got hit by Flyboys; do you want any say on where we go from here? We might not all listen, but its something to go by. And does this mean Itex is back?_

_Max_

…I pressed send, and to my convenience I didn't have to wait for a reply…

_Max,_

_Suit yourself. Yes, that was Itex. Be careful Max, this batch and all others after it are programmed to be quite intelligent. _

_As for what you and the Flock should do, get out of the area. I would suggest going to Chile, South America. Why I, know you will be asking. Because it is the one place in the world with no place connected to Itex. From there I will help you make a better plan, I am still myself gathering information._

_Audios' _

_Jeb_

…great, if you weren't such a jerk, I'd say thanks Jeb.

I called the Flock around me and told them the plan. "We are going to Chile, it'll take awhile to get there, but when we do we'll be safest. Guys, go get your backpacks packed, have hygienic stuff, as much canned food as possible, and one change of clothes. Understood?" Everyone seemed to agree.

Then Iggy said "No, we can't leave Ella, and your Mom. The Flyboys will probably come back."

"We'll leave them a note, telling them we are on the run again and to go to Chile." I shrugged; I loved my Mom and Ella, but not as much as the Flock.

"Then Itex could find it, and then neither we nor the Martinez's would be safe." Iggy had a point.

"I'll send it to her over e-mail, happy? She checks it at school so maybe she doesn't even have to come back here she can grab her mom and be on the run." Man, e-mail really was coming in handy, not only had it saved my life and got Jeb out of my head, but it was about to make Ella and Mom a whole lot safer. Then came on the guilt, I was the one who dragged them into this whole mess.

Fang put his hand on my shoulder, "Should I bring the laptop?"

"Heck yeah!" I jumped up, "guys its time to go."

Like that we left the cottage only hoping for the best, and knowing that Itex was coming back, and that we had to destroy them while they were still weak.

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**Okay, guys I don't like having to really put the carrot out there to have to bribe people to review, so I won't, but I have some ideas if I have too. In short please, please review. **


	12. Chapter 12

Finally here is the nextchapter. Thanks to every one who reviewed, and sorry it took so long to get this up!

. **Ella's POV**

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_Ella,_

_I hope you get this before you get home, because your home probably won't be there. It's a long story, but Itex is back. The flock is on the run again, don't worry, we'll be safe._

_Go get Mom and go where its chili, to the south is best, America isn't safe, especially in the north. This is important and serious!_

_Max_

I was checking my e-mail during free-period. That doesn't sound good. So Max's dream was about Itex or at least related to them. I have two periods left of school, I wonder if I can get out early.

I walked up to Mr. Marquard "Yes, Ella."

"Uh, I don't feel that well."

"Does your stomach hurt, and are you nauseous?"

"Yah."

"I'll call your mom, she's at work right?"

"Yes, sir." Yes, I'm going home, sort-of.

Mr. Marquard went off to make the call and within ½ an hour I was in the car.

"Mom." My voice was dead serious "Itex is back, the flock is on the run and Max thinks we should be too. She encrypted where, but from what I could tell Chile."

"What?" Mom's eyes got big "Are they okay? How do you know?"

"Itex is back, the Flock's on the run, they should be fine, and e-mail." Man Ms. Smith would kill me with that run-on sentence.

"Okay," Mom seemed hesitant "I'm going to guess they don't want us to go home. Am I right?"

"Yah." I tried to keep a cool face, stay strong like Max. But truth be told I was worried. I was worried I might never see Iggy again; I might never see any of the flock again. I loved them all, not like Max does, but enough to consider them family…

"So, I'll stop by my office and pick up some emergency supplies." Mom broke my train of thought. "Max told me this might happen. It looks like we are going to Chile."

Just like that my whole life was destroyed. I left everything I ever knew, my home, my friends my school. Everything.


	13. Chapter 13

Fang flew up beside me "you okay?" he asked.

"Yah, just need to get used to this again." I flourished my hands.

"Same here."

We continued to fly south. We had hit a couple of rain burst, meaning we would have to fly really, really, really high to avoid getting wet. After that it was pretty smooth flying.

Finally, "Max, I'm hungry." Nudge whined somewhere over Texas.

"Okay, it looks pretty much like desert down below." Then a little louder I gave the orders to land.

We ate lunch, rather slowly compared to how we had eaten when we were on the run before. At least it wasn't roasted anything, but instead canned ravioli. Then we were off to more uneventful flying. No matter how amazing flying is, it can get boring, like it just did. It's the same routine time after time, a flyboy shows up, we run, we hide. Come on can't they go back to Erasers; they are so easier to fight than robots.

"Max!" Gazzy caught up with me "Look Mexico!"

"Cool Gazzy, we'll stop there in a couple of hours."

"Okay, but when we do, I want a bean burrito and a Sombrero."

"Sure."

Within a couple of hours the suns light died away. We looked down below and landed were there were no lights and made camp under the stars. Dinner was canned baked beans only warm from the days flying under the sun.

I had first watch; I took Fang's laptop and checked my e-mail. Nothing from Jeb, but something from Ella…

'_Max, _

_Mom and I are on our way. She had been bugging me to tell you to stay safe. I'll miss you all__-__ please, please be safe._

_A new thought, what if Itex were to cut the world population by cutting off supplies to those who they think are we__a__k, __due __to lack of stuff they die ,__and those who are strong don't__. Mom says I'm probably over reacting but I think it__'__s plausible._

_Please stay safe, and pass my regards onto the flock, especially Iggy._

_Your Sister Ella__'_

... great. I did a 360 of the area, clear, good. I pressed compose…

_Ella,_

_We'll be fine. And thanks for the destruction of the world idea. Please don't go to work for the sickos __-__ you'd be too good._

_Your Sister, Max_

…I pressed send. I rolled the little mouse thingy down to see the time, my watch was over. I shut down the laptop and walked over to Iggy. He woke up immediately, of course.

"Your watch. Oh, and Ella says be really, really careful."

Ig grinned "Get some sleep."

I laid down and allowed my mind to drift away into sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

Heres the next chapter. And for you FAX fans out there it's coming back, just wait for it. I was mean I'd say if you review you get it but I'm not so I won't... but still please review!

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: the Maximum Ride characters belong to James Patterson

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"Morning." The sun was starting to rise "We should probably start." I tossed out granola bars.

"Maaax, but I want to go to a Fiesta." Angel came up and held my hand.

Have we been safe long enough for the kids to become spoiled? "Sorry Angel, not this time."

"Fine." She snapped out her wings and went straight up into the air. After hovering for a second she screamed down "You, guys coming!?"

And like that we were off. Nudge was blabbering on about something to Angel, probably about how mean I was, Gazzy and Total were arguing about who had the worst gas, and Fang was describing the new scenery to Iggy. So I was left alone to think.

Man there is a lot to think about! To start, in Ella's e-mail she had a point, but Mom was probably right about her just over reacting. However you shouldn't under estimate sicko scientists who have successfully created genetically modified recombinant life-forms, and nearly cut the world's population by half. I don't know though, is it better to be optimistic or pessimistic? Cause that would answer most of my questions. Hope for the best or expect the worse. There is no median, but there are compromises.

What do we know, well let's see. We know that Itex is back, probably still weak. We know they have made at least one batch of updated Flyboys. We know that they killed off a lot of the successful experiments, but not all. We also know that unless they killed Omega he is still alive, thanks to me. That's about all of the definites now we go into maybe, and they are no good .

Think, Maximum think- right, what we need to know. We need to know what they are up to, duh. We need to know how strong they actually are. We need to know how to REALLY destroy them. We need to know who is with them, and who are our allies. We need to know a lot, very little of it will be written down in a book, but maybe in between the lines…

… three days of uneventful flying pass…

… "Okay guys." It was dark and we were looking for a place to land, the problem was that everywhere was well lit... "How do we want to land?"

"Can we like dive bomb into the ocean, and then swim to land?" Gazzy asked getting all excited.

It did sound kinda fun, and no harm would be done... "Okay." I leveled myself out horizontally and tucked in my wings. Within a millisecond I was falling fast, getting an adrenalin rush. I put my arms out in front of me in a streamline/dive position; I tilted forward head first in a dive. The air rushed past me, I closed my eyes and held my breath. I hit the water. When I surfaced I screamed "everyone still alive?" In response I got a lot of whoops and hoorays. "Good, let's swim in."

After we had gotten onto dry land we decided to use the Maximum Ride bank card, and Angel's mind control powers to get a hotel. Once we settled in Total came up to me. "I thought I said to NEVER do that to me AGAIN. Did I not?" he huffed.

"Total, come on it can't be that bad." He lived, and I didn't particularly feel like being responsible at that moment.

"Really, thanks to me the laptop is safe."

Come on Total, I'm on an adrenaline high, do I have to care? "Great, thanks Total can we get over it now?"

"Fine, but from now on, don't do that, and keep electronics in plastic bags. And don't expect me to do what I did again!"

"Sure." What did he do? Oh well. I don't really care; they have a dinner buffet here that I and the rest of the flock are itching to get our hands on…

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I'll be writing more, so I'll update soon!

Any Ideas you want in, just tell me and I'll see what I can do! -Just please review!

(I made the A/N's bold, but it didn't transfer when I put the doc on the web. Sorry, I'll see what I can do.)


	15. Chapter 15

**Here is the next chapter, thanks again to all those who reviewed. There is some Spanish in here, sorry if it is poor, and you can actually read it, but I tried my best.**

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After we ate down at the buffet, we all headed into our rooms. The girls in one, the boys in the other. I was about to strip, and take a nice hot shower before Nudge got it, but there was a knock on the door. "Who's there?" I called.

"Me." Fang's voice was slightly muffled through the metal door.

I walked over and opened it. "What?"

"Do you wana have some fun?"

"What?"

He leaned forward to kiss me, but I slid over slightly, so he fell forward. "Go out."

"I'd like to, but the kids, Fang. What happened last time we left them?"

"I know. But we are used to Flyboys now, they'll be fine." Fang was pleading with me.

"I don't know. It would be fun, and Jeb did say Chile was safe. Sure." I gave in; I hope I won't regret this.

"They'll be fine" Fang said to reassure me.

I yelled into the room to let Nudge know that we were out and let her know Iggy was in charge, and then told Iggy he was in charge. And we were off, since we couldn't easily land we walked where we were going, wherever that was.

"So where do you want to go?" Fang held my hand.

"I don't know, I thought you had an idea."

"No, just wanted some time with you." Fang kissed my cheek, oh my god, this is really happening? Fang and I are on a date! "We could star gaze, there's a park over there."

"Sounds fun." I answered.

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Fang's POV

"Sound's fun." Max answered running ahead of me, her face giddy.

We lay down on the grass, it seemed that no matter how much light pollution there must be that the stars shown brighter than anything else around. I mean like we have been in pretty remote places and in none of them have the stars been this spectacular, not that we've ever taken much time to look.

Max turned to me her eyes glittered and her blonde, brown hair rippling down from her shoulders, sparkling in the light, I nearly smiled, "look, there' the Ara constellation." I pointed up at the stars.

"The stars are so wonderful."

"Yeah, but not as wonderful as you." Max chuckled and smiled. "I have something for you…

You look into my eyes,

You know you I am,

You listen to the silent words spoken through these lips

You understand who I am.

And Yet You Don't

I look into your eyes,

I know who you are,

I listen to the all the words spoken through your heart

I understand who you are.

And yet I don't.

We see each other in a mirror,

We know each other by heart,

We speak in word and silence,

We understand the connection.

And yet we don't.

My heart sings out, when I see your eyes.

My brain goes on over drive when I think about you,

My words are lost in all forms,

My need to be understood is met.

And my heart is beating with songs of rejoice.

We see each other in a mirror,

We know each other by heart,

We speak in word and silence,

We understand the connection.

And I know it is true.

I look into your eyes,

I know who you are,

I listen to the all the words spoken through your heart

I understand who you are.

And I know it is true.

You look into my eyes,

You know you I am,

You listen to the silent words spoken through these lips

You understand who I am.

And I know it is true."

…I whispered into Max's ear.

Her smile widened, and eyes glowed more than ever, "Fang!" She exclaimed. We kissed and decided it was late and we should go back to the hotel.

But, we decided that to late "Amantes, ¿qué están haciendo, el parque está cerrado! ¿Acaso no se puede leer! Venga aquí!" an officer yelled at us.

Max was about to go up and away, but I stopped her, that would cause more trouble then just explaining ourselves. So I called back "No puedo hablar español." The only Spanish I really actually knew.

"Oh!" The officer looked surprised "You lovers shouldn't be out here!" He yelled at us in heavily accented English "Would you two come with me?"

"Sure." I gestured to Max to tell her that it would be okay.

When we got to him he asked for our names we told him Nick, and Alex, our normal or cover names, he asked about our parents and we recycled yet again Max's missionary story, and he asked what we were doing here I answered "we were uh, like dating, star gazing to be specific. Sorry, it was dark, and we probably couldn't read the sign anyway."

"I see." The officer thought. "Can we contact your parents."

Max's eyes got big "oh, no sir, see we'd get in a lot of trouble. Could you please let us go we'll never do this again, I swear. We didn't even mean to in the first place."

"Pobres turistas, que son inosent. Debo tomar ellos, pero la chica parece tan preocupado, todos. Voy a dejar que pase. Sr Paole mejor no saber ..." the officer muttered under his breath, then in English "I'll let you to go, but just tell me what missionary group your parents are with."

"Uh, mine move around, group to group, wherever they are needed. I stopped paying attention to them awhile ago." Max answered.

"As for me, I don't know either, I'm a foster child in their care. I'm with a new couple."

The officer looked puzzled then said "okay off with you then."

Max and I ran out of the park and to our hotel.

Outside of her door she said "Thanks, I had fun. But that was such a close call."

"I know." We kissed one more time and were off to bed.

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**Since I forgot above**

**Disclaimer: James Patterson owns the Maximum Ride characters.**

**Claimer: I own new plot twists, the poem, and the officer who speaks Spanish.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Okay, here is the complete next chapter! There is some Spanish in here, and if you can read it, I apologize again if it is poor. Please review!**

**Disclaimer- James Patterson owns Maximum Ride!**

The next morning Fang and I showed no signs of what happened between us the previous night to the flock, to my relief. We had all gone out shopping, not actually buying anything, but I think Angel has mind controlled people to give us 'free' things, like Gazzy's sombrero, bean burritos, and hot dogs.

We had gone down a street with lots of venders, some selling blankets, others food, and still some stuff like jewelry when Jeb appeared out of the crowd "Maximum!" He ran towards us.

"What?" I tried to stay inconspicuous, come on, people run at each other in the street all the time right, and you normally don't freak out much right? Well then again those people normally aren't as confusing as Jeb.

"Max, you didn't check your e-mail last night!" great, a fatherly lecture "I told you it would only work if you kept up with it…"

"Cool it. I was busy, one night doesn't hurt too much, you found us." I said.

"Fine. Let's go to my hotel." Jeb led us back to our hotel that he was apparently staying at too.

The flock followed very warily, because none of us truly trusted the jerk Jeb yet. Oh, yes I know everyone out there who gets that Jeb is a jerk and wants me to find a new adjective to describe him, I can't, jerk just works so well, it sums everything up. "Yes Jeb." I let my annoyance show in my voice.

"Max, all of you please find a seat." Jeb waved his hand around the hotel room, and went into the kitchenette to grab us some hot cocoa. "I'm glad you made it here safely. Itex is back, or more actuality was never actually destroyed. See you only saved the world in the short run, Itex had back up plans, they might even be ready to go back to work on destroying the world tomorrow."

"Great Jeb, anything we don't know?" Fang's voice was just barely calm.

"Be patient, if you would let me finish. Max, your destiny is still to save the world, but you must do it in the way that your creators planned, or else the world can't be saved."

"And what way is that, killing mass people, playing a game, letting them kill me?" come on Jeb, we're all ready to kick your butt if you don't tell us what we need to know. Oh, and if we're sure you're not on Itex's side.

"No, Max, but yes at the same time. You must follow what your heart and soul tell you to do, but you _will_ have to kill."

"Sorry Jeb. I try to avoid death." I crossed my arms.

"You will have to kill Omega."

"No, I won't not if I don't want to."

"Max, he is how they will destroy the world. Killing him is how to save it."

"Jeb, Omega is just as innocent as Ari. He is a poor baby, who was taken by sick, cruel, mad, and evil scientist. He was genetically enhanced, and had his soul sucked out of him, just like Ari, except for Ari remembered life, and never completely lost it. Omega wasn't that lucky, and he deserves to live, like all of us do." There, that has to hit Jeb close to home, Fang looked at me, he knew where I was taking this.

"Max, that is all the difference that is needed. You met the true seven year old Ari, right before he passed, you knew he was still there, a frightened little boy, it will never be that way with Omega." Jeb was getting upset.

"Then I suppose next time I run into Omega I'll kill him, and the director, and all of the white-coats." I shot back.

"Max, you know as well as I know you won't be able to morally do that." Jeb had said that my lack of will to kill made me special. So why did he want me to kill Omega?

"Yes, but it is either all of them or none."

Jeb opened his mouth, but before he could get a sound out, "Jeb, you are a hypocrite." Fang said. "You want Max to kill one person but not the next, you don't mind her killing other Erasers but you did Ari, you don't mind her killing Omega, but you do his creators. Is it death or life?"

"Fang," Jeb straitened "You wouldn't want your son killed either. And Omega and the other Erasers aren't people, they don't have souls, their creators do."

"Yeah, they have wicked souls." Jeb couldn't win an argument with Fang.

"Yes, but they are living beings."

"Yeah, but Erasers and Omega are too."

"Fang, fine I am a hypocrite, but that doesn't mean Omega doesn't have to be killed."

Nudge moved front and center "I don't know why you are arguing. Yes killing is wrong, and yes Omega need to be like killed, but that's not necessarily the right thing to do. And why did you hurt Fang, he needs to be strong for us, and why didn't you just let him believe his mom was some crack head? And why did you follow us here? And, and you know how cruel you are, it amazes me. However you need to tell us everything that you know about Itex, everything. What was, what is, what you knew, what you did, what they might be doing now, what there plan was. You need to tell us everything, and you will not be getting around the answer, you aren't a politician, and even they aren't that good. And if you don't give us what we need or want we _will_ find a way to find out. Like I can name a dozen off the top of my head, but you will have to wait to find out." Nudge turned to me, "okay Max, he's ready."

"Great. First off tell me what you were doing in those two years that you left us." I know this might sound weird but I think it is connected.

"Why do you need to know that?" Nudge glared at Jeb "Fine, I was working, working on new experiments, working on updated Erasers, and working on how to help you save the world."

"Which save the world? Humane style, or sick scientist style?"

"Humane, I knew what they had planned for you and I wasn't about to let that happen."

"Nice, and when did they decide I was useless, and make Max II?"

"Um, when you went to rescue Angel, was when the thought first occurred to them, but it wasn't the entire case until you released all of the experiments at the institute. They were very upset, they decided the best way to fix it was to get rid of you, then possibly the rest of the flock if they didn't co-operate. To get rid of you was a hard job though, they couldn't even catch you. So Anne came into play, and she said to make a clone that swap you out. The clone wasn't supposed to have a soul, but she did, lucky for you or she wouldn't have helped you in Germany like you helped her in Florida…"

There was a knock on the door and Jeb went to answer it "Hola señor, soy oficial de Mahony, ¿existe un Nick Alex o el permanecer aquí?"

Fang and I didn't understand the exact context that we heard our cover names but we recognized them and the voice, we gave each other a look.

Jeb answered "Tal vez, ¿por qué las necesitan?"

"Fueron capturados última noche en el parque después de horas, se pidió por mi jefe me hizo un barbecho con su familia. No sé dónde están, sólo que son el permanecer en este hotel." The officer replied.

"Oh, bien no existe o Nick Alex permanecer conmigo por favor revise el piso de arriba había algunos adolescentes violentos en sus diálogos."

"Gracias señor, lo siento molestar a usted en sus vacaciones." The officer was about to leave when he must of caught sight of us, "Usted miente, hay el amor aves, en su habitación!" he switched to English "You two might be in more trouble now than I thought!"

"Sir, you meant our Alex and Nick? They would never do that; they were with me all night last night." Jeb seemed a tad bit confused.

"Sí, I never forget a face! They are with you though, you know their parents, could you tell me the missionary group they are with?" The officer seemed to be annoyed.

"Uh, yeah there parents are with St. Josephs, but they aren't in the area, I took some of the kids on a youth trip."

"Really, well then I would like to know why they are reported criminals in Germany, in a youth lead rade on an Itex building." The officer was doing his job well, but for our sake maybe to well.

Jeb's eyes got big "In Germany! None of the children have ever been to Germany; I would know, I have been with them for the past month!"

"Sir, I know this might come as a shock, but I have a sufficient amount of proof and orders to take you into custody."

I ran up, putting on the act I did last night, "Sir, you must be mistaken, I don't even know much about Itex! How could Nick and I even do such a sin?!"

"Estos niños son idea, que yo sé quiénes son, y los adultos, lo que está con él!" the officer muttered. "Would you all come with me please. And that is an order not a request."

"Por supuesto, pero ¿qué quiere usted decir que usted sabe que los niños son realmente. ¿Siquiera saben quién soy?" Jeb questioned the officer; I wish I could understand what the heck they were saying.

"Sé que son parte de, si no es el jefe del ejército de Fang. Mi hija es un gran defensor, y se enojó conmigo pero tengo mis órdenes. Itex quiere presentar cargos y quién eres?" The officer answered Jeb's question.

"¿Existe de todos modos podemos evitar esto? Me Jeb Batcheler, soy un empleado de Itex, y un defensor de Fang del ejército. Pero, ¿quién piensa usted que somos? ¿Y por qué lo que nos quieren?" Alright do adults always have to literally speak in some foreign language to kids? All that I heard was Fang and Itex, but Jeb was staying calm so I assumed it was all right.

"Ellos quieren ayudar a usted, creo que no pude decirle. No sé usted, pero creo que los niños son el Flock, mi hija comprueba el blog de Fang y al parecer él y Max estaban en una fecha de la última noche y me fuera perseguido por algunos oficiales, como yo y tu Nick y Alex. En cuanto a conseguir alrededor de esto, voy a ver lo que puedo hacer, pero usted tiene que venir conmigo." That time I understood, Max, Flock, Fang, blog, Nick, and Alex, I was officially about to freak out this officer scared me.

"Vamos a venir, pero sé que está usted poniendo en peligro." Jeb said to the officer, then to us "guys come on. Thanks to Max and Fang my little explanation will have to wait." Jeb glared at us.

I shrugged and the officer led us down the street to his office, and we sat in a large

uniform conference table waiting to see what would happen.

**Okay please review, I need feed back, is the inclusion of Spanish to confusing? Thanks for reading PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	17. Chapter 17

Alright I have said this before, that I don't like to bribe, and all but...

If you review you get a translation of all Spanish used in the chapter!

...thanks. Thank you to everyone who I don't have to bribe to review, and please do review if you don't already!

Disclaimer- James Patterson owns Maximum Ride charecters

Claimer- he does not own the officer of his family.

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We were ushered into a small uniform conference room. The officer left, probably to talk to his authorities. After about 10 min. Jeb broke the silence. "Fang I thought you knew better!"

"Knew better than what?" Fang stayed placid; however I could feel the anger and un-comfort that ached to get out.

"Then to tell people were you were on the web."

"Oh, the blog. I don't tell people were we are, I tell them what we are doing."

"Hey, Jeb the blog helped save my butt, back in Germany if you don't recall!" I spoke up for Fang, and his blog.

"Jeb, what did you mean Anne was my mom?" Fang's voice deepened, and his face went pale.

"That she was the person who gave birth to you, and, well, I said you killed your own mother because you did."

"Yeah, so could you just let it pass!" Fang was getting angry; I put my hand on his shoulder.

"No, Fang you killed someone, you should know who that someone is." Jeb put authority in his voice.

"Right, like we should kill Omega!" Gazzy came and sat on Fang's lap.

"Yeah we don't know who Omega is." Iggy came to stand beside me holding Fang's shoulder also.

Angel and Nudge came to join the hug fest too, and I said "You said you were so proud of me not killing Omega, like you were when I didn't kill Max II, or spared the director. Now you want me to kill, and I still won't!"

Just then the officer came in "Hola, I hope I am not interrupting anything. I have convinced Itex, that you are not you, and my boss is contacting the higher government to help you guys out. All of you can stay at my house until we get things sorted out. My daughter will be thrilled to have you."

I was beginning to trust the officer so I said, "Sure. If you have enough room for us, but we are fine at a hotel."

"We have plenty of room and are very glad to show our hospitalidad." The officer smiled. We grabbed our stuff and went to the officers house, the flock tried to distance ourselves from Jeb, who we hopelessly didn't know what to do with. He had tried to scold one of us for something that has saved us, he had tried to hurt one of us. When we got to the house it was a rather large one story brick home. The bricks were painted pink and it had a green front door.

A girl around the Nudge's age came out and yelled "Papá, que está en casa¿Quiénes son las personas con usted¿Se trata del trabajo? Bueno no creo que serían algunos de ellos son niños como yo, los niños no pueden trabajar para la policía. ¿Pueden¿Van a quedarse con nosotros? Sería tan divertido! La más antigua es una oscuridad tan lindo, y así es el más joven muchacha rubia, acaba de diferentes maneras. Oh papá me siento muy contento de verlo a usted, que está pronto a casa hoy. ¿Está usted a casa temprano debido a los niños o no se baje pronto? Te amo." The girl went on and on just like Nudge, but in Spanish so I was given justice as to know what in the world she was saying.

The officer chuckled "Hola Dina, estos son nuestros clientes. Ellos no saben español, por favor, utilice Inglés."

She smiled sweetly " Sí papá, who are they?" Her English was also heavily accented, and you could tell she had to force the words off her tongue.

"Dina, this is Mr. Jeb Batcheler, and then this is Angel, the Gasman, Nudge, Iggy, Fang, and Maximum." Then to us he said "this is my daughter Dina, she talks a lot, if you haven't noticed please excuse her."

"Papá! Este es el Flock!" Dina ran up to us and gazed into Fangs eyes, "you write well, I como su blog!"

Fang grinned; but I could tell he was uncomfortable. To the officer I said "Don't worry we have our own motor mouth." I glanced at Nudge who was about to run off with Dina.

"I see, please make yourselves at home. I have to go back to work. My wife Evita is inside, she will be expecting you."

"Thank you, guys go inside, I have to take care of other business." Jeb gave a daggered glare to Fang and left.

Inside Evita was making food that smelled like what mom used to make. She greeted us, warmly and showed us our bedrooms. The boys shared on, Angel and I shared one, and Nudge shared with Dina. It felt much like the Martinez's.

Nudges POV

OMG I like found someone who likes to talk as much as me! Dina is teaching me some Spanish so when she forgets to speak in English I can understand her. It actually makes a lot of sense. Dina is taking me to a beach that is nearby, I didn't tell Max, I hope she won't be to mad at me, but you know sometimes it is a bother to tell Max everything, but she is in charge she always has been, and she always will. It is so cool to finally have a friend my age though! Max is way older and Angel is way younger, so it is just me stuck in the middle.

"Cousin Ella is coming from the U.S. soon." Dina and I were wading in the ocean "do you know her? You are from the US, so you might. Do you know many people? You are on the run. I love it when you post on Fang's blog. He is so cute!"

"I think I know Ella. Well I know an Ella; she's Max's half sister. But I think there are lots of Ella's in the U.S so there is really no way to tell. And I don't think Fang is that cute, but isn't Iggy! He is blind you know but makes the most awesome bombs, Gazzy likes to do the bombs with Iggy."

"Oh, Iggy is multa, but Fang is so much cuter! Ella is a 2 years older than me she is trece. Her mamá, my tía makes the best cookies. Can I see your wings? Nudge is such a funny name."

"I'll show you my wings latter. Max doesn't like us to have them out in public. Max's mom Ms. Martinez makes the best cookies too! Is trece thirteen, cause that is how old Ella is, one year younger than Iggy. I think that Ella and Iggy like each other, they flirted a lot when we stayed with them."

Dina and I talked for hours, until Evita her mom, came and yelled at us that it was time to go in. I think that Max and Dina are related, because I think that Ella Martinez is Dina's cousin. I wonder what Dina's last name is I think is would be funny if it was Martinez. I also think that people in Chile are really nice, on the street this morning when we were shopping they kept giving us things free, but that could of also been Angel. I also think that people in Chile like to yell a lot just like me, unless that's just Dina and her family. If I were talking now Iggy would have his hand over my mouth so I'm just going to shut up now, before he figures out how to do that in my mind. Ig's hand tastes really bad…

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YO, sorry I bribed, but it is a true bribe, if the Spanish is confusing just review and you get a translation:)

Thanks for reading, and if I haven't mad my point please review.

How did you feel about Nudges POV?


	18. Chapter 18

**Okay, I have made yet another new summery, okay Roo wrote it, I just made it fit in 300 character's her original was so much better! Here is the next chapter, sorry if it is a bit confusing but I think it is totally awesome!**

**Oh yah, I have some anon. reviews, and I will do as promised…just only if you review this time too…is that fair? I don't know but if I get at least 3 reviews, I will post the translations, and send them to users…okay is that fair, anon. reviewers- I don't want to discriminate against you or any thing.**

**Enjoy, please review!**

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**Ella's POV**

"Mom, how long will it be till we get to Tia Evita's house?" I was whining to Mom, we had been in the car for hours, days actually, if you count the motel stops.

"Soon enough, Ella. Would you hand me my cell; I would like to call and confirm." Mom held out a free hand.

"Fine, but you need to call again!" We were both very cranky, at least in Chile we would be able to see Tia Evita, Dina, and Uncle Howse; we haven't seen them in years. I wonder if Dina still has a motor mouth, Nudge so reminded me of her. I handed Mom her cell phone.

"Hola," She spoke into the phone "eEvita espera de nosotros? ...Vamos a estar ahí en dos horas mangas. .. Realmente, eso es maravilloso, Ella se emociona. .. I cruz mi corazón que voy a mantener en secreto entill que llegar. Mantenga su seguro!...Bye, hasta pronto." Mom hung up, and turned to me "Tia Evita has a surprise for us!"

"No mom I couldn't tell. '_Cross my heart I won't tell'. _Honestly only a crazy person would say that if it weren't to a secret! Then again you are kind of crazy." I had sarcasm dripping through my voice.

"I know honey; I keep forgetting you know Spanish!"

"Mom, I've known Spanish since I was four!"

"I know." Mom turned on the radio and listened to fiesta music until we pulled up to Tia Evita's pink brick home near the sea shore in Chile. God that color hurt my eyes, but I was so glad to see it, I am sick of the car!

I got out and was greeted by Dina "Hey, Ella! Fang es tan caliente! ¿Cómo ha sido su viaje aquí? ¿Es tiempo? Probablemente fue, EE.UU. está realmente muy lejos y de todos. ¿Es divertido aunque mi papá y yo siempre han dun de en el coche!" Wow, she talks more than I remember.

"Fang?" I asked, how many Fangs are there?

"Sí, Fang, como usted sabe de la grey. Ellos están aquí! Vaya, yo no debería decir a ti, oh bien sólo acto suppriced cuando usted introduce mamá!" Dina squeeled.

"Wow!" was really all I could say.

Tia Evita came out after Dina "Ella, me complace que usted y la madre hizo aquí en condiciones de seguridad. Mi modo en que han crecido. ¿Tiene su querida tía de edad merecen un abrazo?" she held out here arms and I ran into them. Childish I know, but I haven't seen her in forever, and she was totally awesome. "También te amo, y yo tengo una sorpresa para usted! Dina, ¿por qué no ir obtenerlo."

"Claro, mamá. Voy a ir a conseguir!" Dina ran off.

"Es la sorpresa que uno o una?"

Tia Evita laughed "Verá."

Just then Max came running "Ella! You are safe! God, I never knew I'd see you so soon. Wait, why are you here?"

Max paranoid much? "Um this is my aunts, what on Earth are you doing here?"

"Uh, Fang and I got caught in a park after hours, and then the officer who caught us recognized us, and now we are like staying with him. Lucky for us the Chilean government doesn't have anything to do with Itex, and they are with us!"

"Was the officer my uncle?"

"Probably!"

"Sister fest being interrupted." Iggy shoved his way in front of me. "Hey!"

"Hey." I could have sworn I blushed, not that it matters, he's blind.

"Max, I'm going to go talk to Jeb." Fang called over to us and left as Nudge rambled in about how she knew that Max was related to Dina when Dina talked about an Ella.

**Max's POV**

"Max, I'm going to go talk to Jeb." Fang called over to us, I was so overly thrilled that Ella was here, and well I guess that I had a good reason to trust the Spanish speaking officer, he is my Uncle.

"Sure."

Ella and I talked and all, caught up, like long lost sisters normally do when they get together, whatever. But then Iggy asked if Ella wanted to go to the beach with him, and well, she leapt to her feet, she sometimes looks at him so funny. God I hope I don't get so dreamy eyed with Fang, he can actually see me; I don't think I do though. I'm not even sure what's going on between us.

So I settled down at the table and tried to read some gossip magazine of Ella's. Fang has been in with Jeb for awhile, I was starting to get worried. Then I heard Fang yell "No!"

I darted up and ran into the room, Jeb had a knife in his hands and he was running towards Fang with a knife in his hand. I un-furled my wings, and ran over to guard Fang. Jeb didn't stop, the knife hit me. I felt it cut through my flesh and muscle, on my arm and wing. I shrieked and collapsed. A pool of blood collected on the floor and I slipped out of consciousness.

**Fang's POV**

Jeb had been lecturing me (or more technically explaining himself to me) for what seemed to be an eternity. When he pulled out a knife, I screamed "No!" I tried to move, but I couldn't, Jeb just ran at me.

When Max darted in the door and guarded me, with her wings at full brilliance. Jeb didn't stop he hit her right in her shoulder area, and the wing behind it. She shrieked and collapsed onto the floor. Jeb made a move to help her, he got on his knees. Man he must truly be an idiot if he thought I was going to let him near Max. I gained control of my strength and kicked him across the room.

I got down on my knees myself to help Max. She looked bad, then I saw it the knife had also cut her on her chest and going down into her abdomen. "Dr. Martinez!" I called out the door "Help! Max!"

Dr. Martinez came running in "What?" she panted, then her eyes got big. "Ella bring in my med kit." she called out to Ella, then to me she said "Fang, help me stop the bleeding."

We started cutting her clothes away from the wounds and Ella came in with Dr. Martinez' med kit. She gasped, and asked, "Can I help?"

"Call you uncle" Dr. Martinez worked feverishly, as I helped apply pressure.

We had gotten Max all bandaged up when the officer came in (we have recently learned his name is Howse). He had gotten us a caravan of tinted window SUV's, a private hospital room (where Max's mom was pretty much the only doctor, she just needed equipment), and guards, to well guard us. It was sweet, I'm not sure Max would approve but still, it was sweet.

Me and the flock were sitting in the hallway, trying to occupy ourselves when Dr. Martinez called out "Fang, could you come here?"

"Sure. Ig, keep the kids under control." I walked in the room, and over to Max.

"She's lost a lot of blood. I was wondering if…" she didn't have to finish, I knew where she was going.

"Sure. Stick me." I held out my arm and Dr. Martinez started to transfer some of my blood into Max. "How bad is she?" I dared to ask.

"I think she'll be fine. I need to wait for her to come to, to see the muscle damage though." Dr. Martinez looked grim. "On the bright side, the stitches seem to have taken pretty well."

"Oh." I was starting to get dizzy. I couldn't take my eyes off Max, she looked so vulnerable. Jeb was going to pay.

It was about an hour maybe more maybe less, when Dr. Martinez left to go get us food. Angel came up to me "Fang what happened? Is Max going to be okay?" her eyes pleaded with me for answers.

"Max is going to be fine." I ruffled Angel's hair.

She stared at me for a moment, then skipped away to join the others. Max better be fine. I don't know what I'd do without her.

After we ate, Iggy offered to take my place of donating blood to Max. I didn't let him, it should have been me who got cut, it should be me who is near death, it should be me laying unconscious in a hospital bed. Not Max! So there for I am going to give her my blood, and sit by her side until she comes to. I will be the first one she sees when she wakes up. I will be the first one to explain to her what happen. I took out a sketch pad, and started to drawl, and write.

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**Sorry for any confusion, feel free to ask questions! **

**Do you like the new summary?**

**Please review, and thanks so much for reading!!!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Tell me if you think that the Fang here is in character, I was having some trouble. **

**Disclaimer- James Patterson is the owner of the Maximum Ride character (everyone but Dina, Howse, and Evita.)**

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I woke up hazy, with a horrible headache, and by whole body hurt like… well, really bad. I scanned my environment. Where was I? What happened? I saw Fang sitting next to me drawing; in one arm was a tube transferring blood to me. Wow, back up there. What is going on, I'm lost? I moaned.

"Max!" Fang almost sounded excited, almost.

"What happened? Where are we?"

"It's a long story. You are in the hospital." Fang's eyes drifted towards the floor and he bowed his head, giving him the impression of a cowering dog.

I tried to dart up right and get out of there. We/I hated hospitals, and what happened last time we were in one? Anne, school, Borcht. But Fang's strong arm held me back "You will tear the stitches."

"What?!" I exclaimed. Come on people I am in a freaking hospital bed, a hospital bed, and I don't know why. All I can remember is Jeb running at me with something in his hand, after I went into get Fang? And I'm not even sure if what I'm remembering is true!

"You got hurt, saving me from Jeb." Fang looked up at me, his eyes cold as ice "He cut you from your right shoulder down to your left abdomen area. It is pretty much one continuous cut. He was trying to kill me, slit my throat. The only reason you are in the hospital really, is so your mom has the proper equipment to help you. Your Uncle Howse got us this room, with guards. We are safe." Fang just said that all? I wonder what the Nudge version would be.

"Oh. Is everyone okay?" Jeb tried to kill Fang! "Are you okay? Where is Jeb?"

"In jail, I think." Fang stated "You need your rest."

"Sure." I hazed off again, into a restless sleep. When I woke up later Fang was still there but he was dozing off.

Mom walked in "Good, you're up. How do you feel?"

"Like shit."

"That's a surprise. Are you up to the flock?" Mom was inspecting my cuts.

"Yeah."

"I think you'll be up and about, in a day or two, the way you heal. But…" Mom became graver "I'm not sure when you'll be able to fly again."

"What?!"

"Don't worry you'll probably be able to, I just don't know when."

"Probably?" What would I do with out flying? It was, and is my life.

"It depends on how your muscles heal, but I reckon you'll be able to."

"Okay." I was too tired, to really care right now. Then my eyes caught Fang, who was sleeping peacefully, but deadly pale. "Do you think he's…?"

Mom didn't let me finish. "Yeah. Iggy's given us a couple of pints. Fang has refused to leave your side; we've been waiting for him to fall asleep." Mom continued to move around doing her stuff.

The flock came in and Angel came up to me. "Max, are you going to be okay?" her voice was so sweet.

"Yeah, Ange."

"That's good! What you did was so brave. You saved Fang! I wish you didn't get hurt. But no offence but you getting hurt is better than Fang dying. Death is always worse than injury. Jeb apparently doesn't like Fang. Jeb is more of an idiotic jerk than I, we thought. Now he's our sworn enemy. He should have known better. Do you think he had…" Iggy slapped his hand over Nudges mouth.

"Nudge, Max doesn't need to be disturbed by the Nudge channel right now. Okay?" He took his hand away from her mouth.

"Thanks." I told Ig.

"Hey! I'm still here!" Nudge said, in only four words!

"Max, I am really glad you will be okay." Gazzy came out from behind Iggy's shadow.

We talked for awhile longer, but then Angel got tired, and Mom took them to the house. She let Fang stay, cause it would probably be impossible to peel him from my side- if he was awake.

"Mom, before you go could you pass me those papers?" Mom passed me Fang's drawing.

I started looking over them. They were amazing. There was a portrait of the whole flock, smiling playing around, with wings haphazardly tucked, like we had no cares in the world. Then there was a portrait of the 'real' Ari, and incessant seven year old, stuck in an expiring monsters body. It was weird, I thought Fang hated Ari's guts, maybe he only didn't trust him yet-and it was too late. There was a picture of us- Fang and I- my head was resting on his shoulder while his hand was around my waist. On the back was the poem Fang has whispered into my ear days ago in the park. There was a picture of a girl who looked kind of like an older female Fang. In calligraphy on the top was "Mom" than on the back was this poem…

I searched for you my whole life spent,

Deep inside I know you are there,

Hope over whelms me that you look for me too,

That one day we will find each other.

I know you are out there,

I can feel it in my heart,

You know I am here, I know you must.

One day I know faith will bring us together,

We look for each other,

You gave me life,

And that one day came.

I took it,

I took your chances,

For you no longer are there for me to find,

You no longer look for me,

You can no longer long to hold me in your arms.

But I your son still whale in sorrow and pity,

I still will look

I still long to be held,

For I still love you, because I am your son.

… smaller in the bottom he scribbled…

I HATE you Anne, you are not my mother!

… Wow! I flipped through a bunch of other sketches, portraits of us the flock, flying, fighting Erasers, and all. I laid them down and allowed another restless sleep to take hold of me.

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**Please Review! I'm getting 20 up soon!**

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	20. Chapter 20

**Here is ch. 20 enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: James Patterson**

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"Hey sleepy head." Fang greeted me as I woke up.

"Hey, your drawings were wonderful."

Fang almost blushed "Thanks."

"Could you help me?"

"Sure." Fang took me into his strong arms and helped me get into a standing position.

I was unstable, and as soon as a tried to move pain waved through my body. I tried to put my wings out for balance, but only me left wing would go out. I slipped, or fell and Fang caught me, almost instantly. "Maybe I should wait." I surrendered. I hate staying still, in bed, especially hospital beds. Fang helped me get comfortable, and then almost like he read my mind handed me the laptop.

I went to check my e-mail, don't ask why. There was something from Jeb. I seriously thought about deleting it, but decided to read it, just incase…

_Max,_

_I am about to make a move for the better. Fang is NOT who you think he is. I have tried to change him, you must understand. He will hurt you. Fang does not what is best- he has made to many wrong decisions. Fang had lost the game, he will be the first of the flock to be eliminated. Max, life is a game, and it has rules, some are avoidable others are not. I was never as fond of Fang as I was of the rest of the flock. His recent actions have enforced my beliefs._

_Max, I have given him chance after chance. Fang has made the last of his poor chances. I will give him one more chance. If he does not admit to his wrong moves, he will have to go. Believe me though that his last moments with me will be more pleasant than if I were to let him wait for Itex. In many ways I may be doing him a favor, if it comes to the Flock or the World; you will have to make the right chose, the World. With Fang out of the way, and if you do have to make that diction, and you will, Fang will have died peacefully compared to the torture they have planed. _

_Since I can imagine that neither you nor any of the flock will trust me much after this move, I will give you a full explanation now, and all information I have. Itex had a back-up plan. They will be planning Nuclear items, and control of space asteroids. In more detail, Itex, has mapped out safe places, were they will take everyone who is 'useful'. They will then use the technology that they have created to steer asteroids into specifically plotted places on Earth. They will, previous to this, to find the 'strong and useful' people, by, cutting off supplies, create 'natural' disasters, and set off nuclear bombs in select places. The people who survive will be inspected by the director, and the Omega crew. Those who pass their inspection will be taken to the safe place, the rest will be let free, being told everything is alright and peachy. They will then bring in the asteroids to kill them. Now they will genetically enhance all of the people selected to survive, and they will be laborers to rebuild the world. After that they all can live in peace, under the director's rule, and the world population of 82,400,000 most. You must stop this, but the only way is killing Omega, the director is powerless without him. Trust me here Max. _

_In explanations, I am sorry for all of the mistakes I have made in the past. I am only human, unlike you._

_Jeb, your loving Dad._

…I am like really disturbed by Jeb now. I reread it again and again, making sure I had understood it. He thought it was okay for him to make such drastic mistakes because he was 100 human, but it wasn't okay for us to make tiny mistakes because we are 2 avian, and only 98 human. Jeb needs to sort himself out.

"Fang look at this." I turned the laptop so Fang could see it.

He read it, and by the time it took him to respond I assume he read it a couple of times. "He will pay Max. Don't worry he will pay." Fang let his anger and outrage show.

"Fang, I know." I tried to calm him. "But what about the second part, what should we do? Should we believe him? What can we do to help?"

"He tried to kill me."

"I know. But Fang, this is serious! The world could end if we make the wrong choice."

"Max, he hurt you."

"Yes, he did. But this is the only information we have. If you want we can interrogate him, Tío Howse would probably be happy to set it up."

"I don't know!"

I could tell Fang was getting frustrated "Fang, we aren't playing a game. This is the real world, where real people will die if we don't so something, that's just one idea Jeb hasn't grasped."

"Let's interrogate."

"Great." I punched the air, receiving a sharp pain at my shoulder in my arm. I squinted.

"After you recover." Fang added.

"Good idea. I hope it is soon, I can't stand staying put. Especially now that the world seriously needs saving!"

"Duh!"

I laughed. "Well put."

"What can I say?"

"Do you want to play some internet games?" I was desperately bored.

"Sure." Fang and I went onto to a game we found, earlier called Nudge, and appropriately named, seemingly endless with some hidden useful points.

Later the Flock came, along with Ella and Dina. We talked and laughed. I only wish that I didn't have more pressing things to think about, and that this wasn't just wrapping to the full gift of life.

"Max, are you okay?" Angel asked me after we had all gone crazy when Iggy made some lame 'hey I'm blind' joke.

"Yeah, why?"

"I see right through that, I can read minds Max."

Argh, what is worse than a mind reading six year old?

'I heard you Max. And I'm seven now, I decided that today is my birthday!' Angel injected into my mind.

"Happy Birthday Ange." I said out loud, everyone went along with it, but Angel.

"Thanks, I like being seven. But Max, I know something is wrong, I just don't know what. Come on tell us."

I glanced over at Fang; he shook his head no, so I thought up a lie quick "I'm just anxious to get moving again." Not completely a lie.

"Okay!"

We talked some more, and laughed some more, and all of that hospital visiting stuff that people do. It was to say the least tolerable but not exactly how I'd chose to spend a day, but it could be way worse, so who am I to complain?

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**Do you have any preferences on Jeb? I just want to know your opinion.**

**Please Review.**


	21. Chapter 21review anomy for pics

**Here's the next chapter. Enjoy, please read and review.**

**Disclaimer: James Patterson.**

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A couple days passed, and I was finally beginning to get my strength back. I took forever to heal though, Mom said it was still pretty short compared to a normal person, but it was forever for me. Fang's not sure if we should start moving right now, with my full strength not back, but at this time I think that we can't wait much longer.

"Come on Fang! We won't fly or fight, just interrogate him." I was arguing with Fang about what we should do, again.

"Yeah, but Max."

"We need leads, come on. We can torture him if you want, you can get all macho with Jeb, punch his guts out or something when we are finished."

"Can we use a gun?" Fang put on a mischievous grin.

"No, we can't kill him. Fang, you know no guns."

Gazzy came up to us, we were sitting on the beach, Mom had decided I was stable. "Are you two fighting again? And guns! Cool!"

"Not cool Gazzy, dangerous and unmoral. How did you like it when Flyboys chased us with guns? We can out run them, but not the guns." Eight year olds aren't supposed to think that torturing people with guns is cool. Especially when this eight year old has been chased my guns!

"Fine. But _are _you two fighting again?"

"Yeah, just leave us alone." Fang tried to shoo Gazzy away.

"Fine, but you know I can come right back if I feel like it!" Gazzy ran off, to play with Angel and Nudge some more in the warm water.

"Fang, what's up with you? I thought you agreed that guns were wrong. That used to be a no brainer."

"Yeah, I do."

"That's good but then why would you want to use one on Jeb?"

"Not to kill him, it won't be loaded."

"Then what is the point? Aren't guns used to kill?"

"To put him through mental pain."

"Oh, like torture?"

"Pretty much."

"As long as we don't shoot it, just have it as a prop." I gave in.

"He will pay Max, he will." Fang kissed my cheek, all so romantically. I can't say I _don't_ love him, but it's still awkward.

"Not in front of the flock." I hissed, then gave him my hand to show I cared just, now wasn't the time.

"Fine." He got up, and called Iggy over.

"Hey, why can he be with you but not me?" Gazzy yelled, apparently annoyed.

"Because I am older dude. Chill!" Iggy gave Gazzy a peace sign.

"Ig hurry."

"What?"

"You know about guns right?" Fang asked. I was alert, and trying not to tense, because that just made me hurt.

"Well, I am sort of a pyro."

"Good."

"Fang, why does it matter which one we use? They are all the same." I moaned.

"No, they aren't. There are hundreds of guns all with different uses and purposes. Hey, we are using a gun?" Ig spoke up, and seemed puzzles.

"As a prop to mentally torture Jeb."

"Oh, okay." Iggy seemed hesitant "what if we used darts or blanks, to cause physical pain too, they can't kill, just cause pain, a lot of pain?"

"I like." Fang stated, venom dripping from his voice.

"No! We are sticking to mental, and fist."

"Max, he used a knife on you, Jeb didn't stick to fair fist, and we shouldn't either." Iggy said, still kind of hesitant.

"No, we will be fair. Bombs are as far as I want to go, and I don't even like those." I was not going to bend to the boys begging, not this time. I was the leader they were going to listen to me.

"What about a tranquilizer? It's not a gun per say, just a shooting system, it shoots tranquilizer darts." Iggy was trying to keep his case, why did Fang bring him into this?

"Or a tazer." Fang added.

"Yeah, like mall police use, and tranquilizers. Actually it is because neither of them cause any long term damage, just short term pain." Iggy kept backing Fang up.

"No, nothing with any kind of ammo."

"Tazer's don't use ammo, they use electricity." Iggy corrected me.

"It's close enough."

"Fine. You want a prop gun? Let me think." Iggy paused for a moment, then said "Something, loud, intimidating, either well known, or very rare and powerful. You will want some kind of hand gun. Could you borrow your uncle's? I'm not sure his will be loud when the trigger is pulled, it depends on the year, but the standard police gun fits all other criteria."

"Great." Fang flew up his arms.

"Sure, just nothing more than a prop." I confirmed.

"So, when do we get to interrogate him?" Iggy asked.

"Tomorrow."

"You nervous?"

"Yeah, but not as nervous as Mr. Nerves of Steel here." I playfully punched Fang's arm.

"Hey. Who said?" Fang was said defensively, playing along.

"Me." I grinned.

"Great, have fun you two. Max, are you going to get in the water? Cause it's great. Fang want to come."

"I can't get the stitches wet, sorry. But Fang go have fun I'll read." I offered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Go!" I throw the nearest object, that just happened to be a banana, at Fang.

"Fine, going."

"Good." I flashed him a smile.

I grabbed the laptop out of Fang's bag, and went to his blog. I don't know what, but something comforted me to read his writing, and to know that he was blogging. I went to the most recent entry…

_You are reading Fang's Blog._

_Today's Date: Does it Matter? Yes, well deal._

_You are visitor: 842,728 (since Nudge fixed the thingy.)_

_Hey guys, Max is so strong. She is recovering, and anyone who is in Chile, please don't go stoning the jails. Howse has complained to me about that lately! Guys, Jeb will be taken care of, and stoning the jails doesn't help! _

_Tomorrow we're going to interrogate Jeb. I can't wait personally; I hope Max is up to it. I'm sure she will be fine, just you know. I wonder what new lies and truths he will tell us. Luckily thanks to the coolness of being mutant, we have Nudge and Angel to help differentiate. Angel can read minds, and Nudge can detect major emotional traumas, like if Jeb is nervous because he is lying. So don't worry about, that. _

_I wrote this for you guys, and for those of you who wanted to see my work…_

_A Drum Beats_

_A Heart Beats_

_A Dream Beats _

_But what does the sun do?_

_The Sun Shines_

_The Sun Warms _

_The Sun Lives_

_But does it beat?_

_A Drum Beats_

_A Heart Beats_

_A Dream Beats _

_But what does the sun do?_

_The Sun Shines_

_The Sun Warms _

_The Sun Lives_

_The Sun Beats_

_The Sun Beats and a Drum, as a Heart, as a Dream, the Sun Beats_

_**okay, FanFiction can't post art-sorry, but they have a bunch on the real Fang's blog. I'm looking into a way to show you guys what I have come up with, but having some technical difficulties, any ideas are welcome, when you review. Soryr, I hate A/N's in the middle of reading, but I thought you might like to know were the drawling went.**_

_Here you go, I might scan more later, but Max has Cabin Fever, and is itching to get into the sun now that she is allowed._

…wow, sweet. I know this sounds lame, but I keep forgetting Fang can draw so well, and am blown away by the clarity of his picture.

"Max, Iggy told us the plan." Gazzy came up to me. "He doesn't treat us like babies."

"Great, you know I was about to tell you." I rubbed his head.

"Max, it sounds great. The sun is starting to set; I think that we should go in and get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow. Iggy is going into town with Ella for some festival tonight, Dina asked me to go, and I think I will. Do you and Fang want to come? The others can come too. You need your rest though still, just incase something bad happens." Nudge ran up beside me too.

"Thanks, I think I'll rest but you guys can go. Have fun!" I closed the laptop, and got up with some help from Fang.

"Let's go guys." We walked up to the house I tripped a couple of time sending shocks of pain, but nothing to bad. Tomorrow will be big.

"I think I'll stay with Max." Fang stated as the others went to the festival, and I went to bed. Fang then plopped down in front of the television and watched some crime show, I think it was called Criminal Minds. Wow, maybe we could use some tactics from there when taking down the biggest criminals of all time. Just a thought, I'm really tired now though, so I'm going to sleep. Fang will fill me in if there is anything useful.

**Okay, I know everyone wants me to post soon, and I could, but I am like absorbed in Twilight. I have the next chapter written in a note book, I just don't want to stop reading Twilight, to type it. But I'll put this bribe, if you motivate me with reviews, the more likely am to type 22, and all. Or you can wait till I finish Twilight. Your choice, but please review though! Thanks. **


	22. Chapter 22

"You ready?" Fang asked me for like the _eleventh_ time.

I took a breath "Yeah." I grabbed Tio Howse's gun, and the Flock and I walked into the room. It was empty, with lab-white walls and bright florescent lights. There was nothing in the room but a chair in the middle that had Jeb chained to it. "Hello Jeb." I hissed.

"Maximum." He nodded at me, then catching sight of Fang, "Fang." His voice stayed calm.

"We have questions, and you have answers. Get the picture?" My voice was ice cold. My fist tightened around the prop gun as if it would protect me from the monster Jeb might be.

"Max, this isn't necessary." He smiled at me, and the Flock.

"I know, but Dad, you should know not everything is necessary in this game of life." I prompted him.

"Some things are though, some things are." He looked up at me.

"Again, I know." I shot a glance to Fang, telling him it was his turn.

"Why Jeb? Why? You told me I was wrong and I couldn't make human mistakes. But look what you did to your daughter, your _daughter_ Jeb." Fang's voice was filled with venom "Jeb, that's as un-human as you can get."

"You killed your own mother, and you aren't human. That's worse, death beats injury."

"That's nice, but it doesn't answer the question." Fang stared down at Jeb.

"No, it doesn't. I apologize. Fang I know who you are, I know your destiny, and I know you will bring the Flock down." Jeb spoke as if the rest of us weren't in the room.

"That's a start." Iggy came up from behind Fang "But it doesn't answer why."

"Fine, but you must understand, I had no choice, Fang has lost his soul."

"Okay, say I have lost my soul, why didn't you stop when Max guarded me?" Fang growled, voice lower and huskier than I had ever heard it before. I knew then, he had more reason for this than to save the world, it was to know that he didn't hurt me, that it was completely Jeb's fault. It almost scared me to think of the turmoil that might be going on inside him, the fact that Jeb could hurt the person I loved the most so much just made me want to slap him, no kill him. But I couldn't - he had purpose to us, and he had the right to live, once upon a time he meant something to me, and he meant something to a little boy who didn't know what went on in his daddy's head. No, I couldn't kill Jeb.

"Physics, I had momentum, inertia, and not enough friction." Jeb's calm answer snapped me back into the reality.

"Hah!" Nudge, stepped up to the plate. "You know, you should give us some credit for growing up in a science lab. We know all about it, physics included. But letting that pass, pretending you couldn't have stopped, why didn't you drop the knife when you saw Max? I mean nothing, not even you precious science can justify that, as if. Anyways, do you really think that Max would just say, 'no problem Jeb, I understand you tried to kill my support, my brother, my family, a flock member but fatally injured me instead. I can totally forgive you; I know you don't care about my feelings, but it truly okay.' Get a grip. What if it was Ari, would you of stopped? Who am I to ask, I know you better than your own son, of course you wouldn't of. Don't worry' Ari died thinking you loved him, I know just like I know you need control of every move made in the game. I radiates from you like some kind of aura."

"I, I don't know what to say." Jeb was obviously tongue tied. "You need to know I would never hurt Max, and I only kill when necessary."

"Yeah, bit too late. But we will leave it at that." I said cueing Fang, telling him I didn't want to here anymore of Jeb's sad excuses.

"Where is Itex? Where is the body?" Fang was all business.

"Within our galaxy, I think.' Jeb said, matter of factly staring into Fang's hard eyes.

"You are in no position to play games, Jeb." Fang took a stance of dominance. "Answer the question."

"I have, to the best of my ability, and life is a game." Jeb said curtly.

I glanced over to Fang, silently asking if it was time to show the gun. He nodded. At that moment a hundred thoughts rushed through my head, I had to constantly mentally remind myself that it was just a prop, it was empty, and nothing would happen. I flicked my wrist slightly so that the gun was revealed to Jeb. His eyes grew big. "Now Jeb, we all know that you have tabs, and lead on Itex." I said sweetly, "We also all know that Chile has it in for Itex, and with in two seconds we could turn you in, or kill you. We need to know where Itex is." That had to be one of the hardest thing I had ever done, bring on the Flyboys and Erasers, I can kick their butt, but this, this was different.

"Max, you wouldn't." Jeb nervously glanced around the room, then deciding it was safe enough said "I have told you all I know."

"Really?" I knew, he knew more and he wouldn't get away with hiding it, I did all I could to keep from grinning.

"Jeb, you can's hide anything from us, remember?" Angel said sounded highly mischievous, then said to me "Max, Itex is in space."

"Is that true?" I took Angel's hand, and took a step towards Jeb.

"In a way, yes."

"Explain." Iggy demanded.

"It is one of the main stations needed for their plan. It is part of three; one is in Antarctica, the other in China."

"Which do we need to take out? And what is the plan?" I asked.

"All of them."

"The plan." Iggy, looked pissed, but I knew this was just for Jeb's benefit, Iggy was enjoying this.

"To take over the, world cut the population in half. I thought you would know that already, and Max knows the rest." Jeb seemed content with his answer, and I knew we wouldn't get anymore out of him, even if we threatened his life more.

"Thank you." Fang gave Jeb the dagger look, "Oh and one more thing, the game is over."

I took the unloaded gun, and steadied it in my hands as if I was really going to shoot. "And you lose." I hissed as I pulled the trigger. There was an explosive noise then nothing. Jeb wasn't dead but he was in mental drama stage major. As promised I let Fang stay behind and take care of his stuff. I and the other kids left for the house, how tempting it was to call it home, but it isn't, it won't ever be. We can't afford to have a home, and as soon as I could fly we were out of here to keep my innocent family, and all citizens of Chile for that matter, safe.


	23. Chapter 23

Sorry these two chapters took so long-my fault. I know this is not Monday, but I did say I couldn't put a date on it. Again, sorry, but you have it now-be happy! And please review. Disclaimer: James Patterson 

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Iggy's POV 

Earlier today went so well. I nearly went deaf when Max pulled the trigger, how ironic. I so wish I could have seen Jeb's face. I only remember it as the face of horror, the face that took my sight away in the first place. From the school. So I really don't have any trouble considering him to be evil. But everyone else saw him as loving, and for Angel that if pretty much all she knew him as. That must have been torture for her, especially being able to read Jeb's mind. I do also feel sorry for Gazzy, he didn't get to participate much, but I think he gave Fang some ideas of how to knock the guts out of Jeb, as if he needed help.

"Iggy! Come here." Ella screamed from the other room.

"What?"

"I… I think a storms coming. A really big storm." She sounded ghastly scared.

I put my arms around her hips and pulled her closer to me "Don't worry we are here."

"Yah, I know." She whipped her head around so that her hairs brushed against my chest, as she allowed me to embrace her.

Then, I heard it. The low droning of Flyboys, they had found us. I could faintly hear "We are many, you are one, you can run but you can't hide, we will destroy you." Along with the distinctive mechanical buzz.

I pulled Ella even closer, if that was possible. "Flyboys." I said and called the others into the room. "Guys, we need to get out of here! Flyboys are coming, thousands of them. Max can you fly?"

"Not yet." Max and her mom answered at the same time, not what we needed to hear.

"Shit." I strangely felt like everyone was looking up to me like a leader, it must just be I'm not used to making the calls and asking the questions, but I didn't like it.

"I'll carry her." Fang said.

"Good, but what about Ella and her family?" I still hadn't let go of Ella, and was using every once of my strength not to crush her, she wasn't going to stay in the way of a cloud of Flyboys on the hunt.

"Hide!" Max said. I didn't like the idea, but it was better than anything else.

"Sure, Ig. Go, I'll be fine. You need to go." Ella squirmed a little bit in my grasp as she planted a kiss on my shoulder, since she couldn't reach my head. I reluctantly let go of her, "Bye, guys. Be safe." With that she and her family scurried out of the room, and into hiding.

We grabbed out bags and Total, and took to the skies.

"We need a plan." I stated as we were starting into the air.

"Got one." Max said, she always has a plan. "We will go really, really, really high, to where it's hard for us to breathe, and silently fly over the Flyboys, going straight towards them but way above them. We have to be silent. If one of them senses us we'll need to use bombs." I could just imagine her glancing at me, I always had the bombs.

"Sure." I patted my pack.

"And I have gasoline and matches, if the twenty something bombs don't last." The Gasman said excitedly.

"What!" Max sounded pissed.

"Just for back-up! They are highly flammable, plus the gas, that will be one big fire when we drop the match. Max, think."

"Right, great." Max sounded hesitant, as she and Fang went up and away. I could barely hear the beat of Fang's wings even with Max for extra weight. Then the Gasman and Angel went up. When it was Nudges turn, I put my finger to my lips just to remind her. She must of gotten the message cause all of a sudden I it was as if she wasn't there, I couldn't hear her wings, I just felt the under draft, so I knew she was still there. Then I guarded my ears, knowing flying over the Flyboys would be living hell, all of that noise concentrated made a rock concert seem like paradise to my uber-sensitive ears. I went up after the rest of the flock after Nudge had taken off.

The flight was so uncomfortable, but who said it would be? I didn't have anything to fill my head but Ella. She was so sweet, she always smelled of roses, and her skin was soft and flawless compared to the scars and calluses of the flock. She was so innocent, normal, fragile, that I sometimes felt so guilty for endangering her and her family with the whole package that came with the being mutant thing. But then I hear her voice, her laugh, her happiness, and it makes up for everything. I only hope that she is safe.

I heard the pivoting of the Flyboy's joints. Great, just we need, for them to notice us. Without asking Max, I was tossing out the bombs. Each time one blew up a group, I could hear more of flying into the gap they left. Then without any warning, they started shooting at us, with machine guns. We had to weave in between the bullet paths. To bad we couldn't go much higher to get out of range of the bullets. But these were M2-GAU17s meaning we'd have to go up at least another 50,000 feet and we were already pushing some of our luck flying this high, with Max still recovering and all.

"Karma much?" Max, said sarcastically, I knew she was talking about the gun we "used" with Jeb, it was pretty much the same.

"We just ran out of bombs, guys." I said.

"Shit, just what we need." I could tell Max didn't want to do this. "Okay, Gazzy, dump it."

"Really!" man, you'd think the Gasman was opening Christmas presents, where we just happened to be in a life threatening situation, of course.

"Well, yeah if you hurry up." I shot him a glance, which I think meant 'dude come on'. I know their glances were lost to me, but that doesn't mean that I can't glare at them, I still have a face, and eyes that can roll.

The Gasman started pouring tanks of gasoline on the Flyboys, as the rest of us rushed over to help. Max and Fang stayed out of it, they were both annoyed about missing out.

"Gazzy, let Iggy do the match part." Max ordered from Fang's arms.

"Why?"

"Just give them to me." I stuck out my hand, and the Gasman handed me one of those big industrial boxes of matches. I started lighting them and dropping them on the unsuspecting Flyboys below. I could feel the heat radiating up from the burning. Thankfully I didn't hear anymore of the drone, only the metal burning, or whatever they had to burn, burning. "Where are we going now?" I asked, as the fire started to calm down and we could descend to a more comfortable altitude.

"We can't go back, but Fang can't carry me anymore." Max said.

"We could go in land and grab a hotel somewhere in a different part of Chile. When you can fly again we can move on." Angel said to Max.

"I don't know. Fang do you think you can make it to the southern tip of Chile?" Max asked.

"Yeah, and further." Fang said, his voice seemed distant somehow.

"Good, we will make it that far, and then see if we can make it out of the country."

"Sounds like a plan." Fang said as he quickened our pace.

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	24. Chapter 24

**Here you go chapter 24. Thank you so much anyone who has reviewed. Please read and review still, though.**

**Disclaimer-James Patterson**

"Fang, do you think you could even let me try? See I have full motion of my wing." I was arguing with Fang, who was convinced I should still wait longer to fly. I circled my right wing, it hurt like uh, well, you know really bad, but I didn't let it show cause then there would be no way that Fang would let me fly.

"I see. But what if you pull stitches?" Did he make a list of why not to let Max fly excuses or something, last time it was, 'what if you cramp?' and 'you could more permanently damage muscles if they aren't ready.'

"Well, Fang, I don't think it matters, my skin had pretty much like re-grown. Come on, we can't stay here for much longer. It is less safe, than the chance of me falling out of the sky. You can catch me then, you can't catch us if Chile goes down."

"Fang, she's right. We can't put the citizens of Chile in danger for much longer, or Ella for that matter." Iggy came to my defense. "And if she thinks she's ready."

Fang creased his forehead, and frowned "Fine, but one slip."

"Fine." I said crossing my arms. "Okay, everyone we are on our way out."

"Yay! I am sick of this dump of a hotel. Like next time can we get someplace better, or not stay as long? Max, it is so cool that you can fly now. But where will we go?" Nudge ran into the room with Total in her arms.

"Uh, I think we can make South Georgia Islands, from there we can decide what to do." I made a plan.

"Do you think you can make it?" Fang said, of course.

"Yeah I do, so let's go."

The Flock and I checked out of the hotel and ran into some forest coverage, and took off. Up in the air we took formation for once, but Fang wouldn't let me lead, so I was stuck in Gazzy's normal place, in back next to Angel and he moved up into Nudges, and Nudge into Iggy's and Iggy into Fangs and Fang into the lead position. Can he be any more stubborn?

"Max, are you okay?" Angel asked sweetly.

"Yeah, why?" I said trying to smile.

"I don't know but Total thinks that you two should switch having wings, then Fang can carry you and Total can fly." Angel giggled.

"Hey, kid stay out of my head." Total barked.

I couldn't help but laugh "Now Total, you know when you fly you can't go to the bathroom as often." I teased.

"Well, I wouldn't have to."

"Now, now, Total I like carrying you." Angel patted Totals head.

"Well, I want tot fly." Total mock huffed.

"I know. Max, do you think you could go super speed still?" Angel asked.

Truthfully I hadn't thought about that, I sort of forgot I could go 200mph+ so "Yeah, of course, like riding a bike right, once you can do it you can always. I just don't think I could do it now."

"Makes sense."

"We're stopping." Fang called back.

"Why?" I asked.

"To eat." Well duh.

"Where?" Man, I hated not being up in the front ranks.

"Franklin Islands. They're in a mile or two."

"Oh great."

When we landed (there was luckily a convenient forest) Fang let me take charge again, thankfully.

"To find a market, then." I motioned for the Flock to follow as we walked aimlessly into a small town to find food. There really wasn't much, I looked around, then saw a sign reading 'Dr. Fanklin Research Center' right below it on the sign was the Itex logo. I stopped dead. "Angel, could you do a mind scan?" I whispered barely audible.

"Sure." Her eyes glazed over in concentration "Max, we might be in trouble."

"What?" Iggy said, apparently lost.

"Max, this is an Experiment research facility, and it has started some new tests. They have recently been assigned to see if there is a way to make living life forms into Flyboys, or some other type of robot, from what I can read." Angels eyes where wide, with fear.

"Not good." Fang clasped a hand on Angels shoulder.

"No, we should go back and take off, hope that no one saw us." I said, turning on my heel.

"But Max we have to save them." Gazzy said, trying not to sound scared.

"I know Gazzy, but we can't right now we can come back later to help them." I tried to compromise.

"He is right." Total said "What happened to the 'well I have to save the world anyways' attitude you had when you rescued me?"

"Total, that was different, that's what we went there for."

"Well, these people, and living animals deserve a chance too." Total huffed.

"What can we do?" I asked still trying to get out of there.

"Can I help, you young people?" I heard, a cold metal voice.

"No, we were just leaving actually." Iggy said, now trying to help me with the kids.

"Well, why don't you stay, a tour is starting now?"

"No thank you, we just got separated from our parents, they said to meet them at the front gate." I was trying my best to just stay cool, act on my feet.

"I see, Max, maybe I could help you find them."

"Excuse me, so think I am a freaking boy or something." I tried to sound offended that he called me by my name, but really I was scared silly, how did he know?

"Lets not play games, Fang maybe you will be a little more co-operative." The man turned to Fang.

"What you call me?" He said trying to play along with my game, "Fang? Like I'm a gangster or something?"

"Right then, Iggy maybe you will talk your, friends into making since of the situation."

"Iggy? Am I a reptile, come on dude, seriously, do you really think our parents would name us those, those, wrong, names." Iggy also played along.

"Will any of you just co-operate? How about you Nudge, would you please talk some sense into your friends?"

"Pardon me, Nudge, sorry I am not a doorstop sir, please stop offending us with these ridiculous names." Nudge smiled sweetly, playing along, and keeping it short and sweet.

"None of you know what is good for you do you. Well there is still you, the Gasman." The man turned towards Gazzy.

"What!" Gazzy started acting like a normal eight year old "how dare you call me a Gasman, who do you think you are? I-did-not-fart!" Then the Gasman drew back and pretended to kick, meaning he didn't actually kick as hard as he could of.

"Well maybe, you Angel will help." He seemed unfazed.

Angel concentrated for a second "Sir, of course I will help." She said sweetly, and then came to take my hand, to give me some idea of what she was doing. "You will, take us to the forest, and let us go, but after you are finished you must let any truly living thing in this place go, and shut down your operation." Angel was still smiling sweetly at the man but her voice had a new vigor "if you do not we will be sure to see that you be treated with out dignity."

"Yes, I think you are right." The man turned and led us back to the forest. We then took off, only hoping that the man did follow through on releasing the other experiments, and shutting the base down. I doubt he was very successful, and is now an experiment but you never know do you?

**I hope you enjoyed. Please review.**

**Updates will probably start becoming less frequent because I have just started another project, but I am so attached to this one I will continue, just probably it won't be as quick, sorry for any inconvenience, but I fell in love with this other story completely of my own creation, and all so… but don't worry I am still writing this one.**

**Please Review.**


	25. Chapter 25

**HI!!! I really like this chapter, even though it is sort-of-short and kind of cheesey, it puts a new twist on everything…**

**Please Read and Review!!!!**

**Disclaimer-James Patterson owns the three published MR books, and the up and coming fourth!**

"Ig, scoot, I need to talk to Fang." I flew up and drifted into Iggy's place. "Smart move, Fang."

"What?"

"An Itex lab! What were you thinking? I would starve before we risk ourselves like that, no food is _that_ important."

"Look, I didn't know." Fang hissed through a clenched jaw.

"Fang, be more careful next time. We are so lucky Angel can control people! We could be terminated now, dead now, as in not needing food! Think next time, St, Georgia isn't that much further anyway."

"Chill."

"Why, is almost going back to a lab not a reason to panic?!" I was breaking my number one rule, don't scream and breakdown in front of the flock.

"Max, calm down, we're safe now." Fang carefully brushed the tip of my wing with his. "You should probably go back in the draft."

"No!" Tears were starting to flow.

"Max, come on be reasonable, you probably can't hold up, up here." Fang said calmly, not looking back.

"Fine, but this isn't over." I wiped my face and went back by Angel again, hoping the girl would respect my need for privacy.

Luckily Angel didn't try to talk to me, whether that was a good thing or bad I don't know, she might have known every thought in my head, and that would have been BAD! I was the strong, invincible Max, who was currently breaking down over a close call. So the rest of the flight was silent, along with the landing (in another conveniently located forest) and the setting up of camp.

"I'm getting food with Nudge." Iggy called over to me, and was off.

It seemed strangely that the flock was trying to avoid me, so being bored I grabbed the laptop, to check my e-mail, and Fang's blog…

_Max,_

_This is your Mom. Jeb is being tried by the Chilean government for Child Abuse, Illegal Experimentation, Illegal Entrance into the Country, and like two other felonies I don't know. He's probably be put away for life. The gov. wants you and the Flock to be present, but I told them that it wouldn't be safe for anyone, but it is still an open invitation._

_We miss you and the Flock, and wish you luck. Max, I have to tell you not to use the Maximum Bank Card, it was from Jeb and is being terminated, however you still have the money just through a different card- honey you are a millionaire, well technically Billion. Congras! I want to see your face right now. Since I don't know where you are I decided to send the Card to the St. Georgia Islands, it is held under PNC Bank on Forthright Street under Maxine Martinez, for safety reasons. _

_Ella now wants to say stuff, so…_

… _Hey Max! I can't believe my sister is a Billionaire! I suppose you will use most if the money to take down Itex, which is good. Now you have some of the same resources of them! Tell Iggy how much I miss him, attached is a voice recorded message if you could pass that on. I miss you all._

_…Mom, back. Well Howse wants to teach us more on how to act in the court room so, bye. LOVE YOU, and stay safe. _

_Attachment- __**IggyThisIsForYou.doc **_

…I then went to Fang's Blog:

_You are reading Fangs Blog_

_Today's Date: Look at Your Calendar-I'm not giving it to you_

_You are Visitor: 117,208,414 _

_Hey Guys! We are on the road again. If anyone in South America thought the sky was on fire it probably was, we blew up thousands of Flyboys off the coast of Chile. At the time I was carrying Max, but since the stubborn thing has insisted to fly herself._

_We are now flying away from Chile, but I won't tell you where until we are gone (like normal). _

_We found out some information about Itex, they sadly are not fully destroyed, but they don't hold much threat to the world-yet. The Flock and I are looking into it now, and will let you know how you can help soon, if we need it. But Itex is still weak, thanks to all of your help!_

_Max is starting to argue about where she is going to fly in our formation again, so I'll go now. Fang in all of My Glory!_

…and that is what he calls a blog!

"Food's Back!" Iggy called as he walked into the clearing.

"Great, I'm starved and have some news for us!" I was feeling more like myself now and ran over to dig into the six Extra Large Pizza's they had bought with the now obsolete Maximum Bank Card. "Guys, you bought those Pizza's illegally, not that it matters but the Max Card is being withdrawn by the Chilean Gov. But my Mom, in all of her wonderful coolness put all of that money on a new card under Maxine Martinez for cover. And best of all that money is over a billion dollars, we just need to pick it up at the PNC Bank on Forthright St."

"What!" The whole Flock exclaimed at the same time.

"Apparently Itex did set up a savings account for us." Gazzy whopped.

"Yeah." I ruffled Gazzy's hair as if it needed help being messy. "Get some sleep; we'll pick it up in the morning. And Fang, we'll share first watch, I need to talk."

"Whatever." He said walking over to a tree in the clearing and sitting as the others got in the sleeping bags and blankets we used for our nearly nightly camping expeditions.

"Look Fang, I'm sorry I was so short, but I was slightly pissed that I, the stubborn thing, was being treated as weak."

"Yeah. You read the blog?" he said.

"Yeah, and you are a stubborn thing too. Jeb is probably being locked up for life, if that brightens your day."

"It does. And so does this." Fang planted a kiss on my lips then with drew.

"I get the rest of first watch."

"Fine." Fang lay down and went to sleep as I stared into the darkness wondering what we would do with a billion bucks, all the money we ever could dream of.

**New twist huh? Funds, actual non restricted funds-they are freaking BILLIONAIRE (and they don't have any income tax)- let me know what you think ******


	26. Chapter 26

**This one is short I know, but it is prompting something else, that will come later, so be patient. Thanks for reading, and please review, please!!!!**

**Disclaimer-James Patterson**

"Hello, may I help you?" A receptionist at the bank looked up at us.

"Yes, please, I am here to pick up a card for Maxine Martinez." I smiled sweetly at her, trying to look as adult as possible.

"Are your parents here miss, maybe your mother should pick up the card."

"I am Maxine Martinez, now may I please have the card."

"Miss, we have a protocol to follow, if you are not eighteen you can not pick up or withdraw any money without parental presence."

"I looked down at her, what if I am eighteen?" I tried my best to keep my temper, though I could punch her face out now, I'm not being the most patient person in the world right now, but it is my money.

"Do you have age certification?" The receptionist looked doubtful.

"Yes." I turned to Angel, "Show her I am eighteen."

The little mind controller perched on her tip-toes to see the receptionist eyes and said "Max is eighteen, please give her the card." She then stepped back behind me.

"Yes, miss, I am sorry for the delay." The receptionist rummaged through her desk, and got out a little plastic blue card. "Please sign here, here, and here, and then you can be off." She handed the card to me and I signed where she wanted me too.

"Thank you." I turned on my heel and we left the bank.

"Max this is so cool, you got the card! I thought you didn't like Angel using mind control unless it was life, death, but then again one billion smuckeroles is definitely worth her controlling someone to make them think you are eighteen, its not like it is illegal to get you r own money that way. Is it? What are we going to do with it? We can do practically anything we want. I think we should do something fun first. Max, do you think that we always had this just didn't know? Like it is possible, we never tried to spend to much on the other card because we thought we might max it out, but if we had a billion then…"Nudge trailed off as she walked past a bakery with a huge cake that was at least seven tiers high, chocolate and adorn with flowers, surrounding it in the display case were chocolate chip cookies, her mouth started to drool as the rest of the flock gathered around too.

"Please, Max?" Gazzy looked up at me with big pleading eyes.

Angel started to turn around, but before she could say anything "No, Angel."

"Why can't we, we have the money?" Total complained.

"Yeah!" The rest of the flock said at the same time.

"NO, we don't need cake right now; I promise we will get some sweets at the airport though." I said, only hoping mentioning the airport would distract them.

Fang raised an eyebrow at me. "Airport?"

"Well, do you want to fly to Europe or Africa, that is days of endless flying over the ocean."

"Right." Fang said. "Max is right."

"Fine." The Flock mumbled as I called in a taxi to take us to the airport, we were not going to take the chance of flying there, and walking might be a little uncomfortable, in the tropical heat.

**More will come, don't worry this is just setting it up, thanks to Spattered Eggs who gave me the idea, for something…**

**PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, review! Please!!!!!**


	27. Chapter 27

**Hi-my readers who would probably like be REALLY mad at me right now. First I must say I am sorry I haven't updated in awhile, life's been hectic…yada yada yada…you don't care do you? What I thought. First off I want to state, that I know next to nothing about modern-day Russia, I know bunches about their revolution though- so any corrections would be appreciated, and thanks to Roo for the first tid-bits of help. About that school finds it more important to go over the US Revolutionary War and Mesopotamia again, before we move on to stuff that I care about, so sorry if I know nothing! Also I included the Russian translation down at the bottom, so you better Review-pwease. What else? Uh enjoy, I know it might be a bit confusing just review and I'll help clear it up.**

_**A.S Lee (imagine a cool looking feather since I can't draw one on the computer)**_

Well, I could bore you with details of our flight to Russia, but I won't. However I will explain why Russia. One, it is close to China, two Angel wanted too, three no one objected, four it wasn't here.

Angel decided she wanted to explore the capital city of Moscow. We were aimlessly walking around when Angel's eyes went all big.

"Angel!" Gazzy yelled "What's wrong?"

I knelt down, and looked into her eyes; and she smiled slightly, "Angel?" I questioned.

"Max! Guys! We are so lucky we came her!" She started jumping. I walked her and the rest of the flock over to a bench.

"What? Why?" Iggy question.

"Ooo, I know." Nudge offered "There is really good, food, and pretty buildings, and nice people, and…"

"No, Nudge." Angel cut in "The president of Russia is mad at Itex!" she whispered to us.

"And how do you know this?" I inquired making sure Angel saw my eyes.

"Well…" Angel grinned "You see that man over there," she nodded her head, I looked and saw a man dressed in a suit, surrounded by men in suits, who was talking to a lady with a legal pad in her arm "well, I was doing a mind scan, you know for safety, and I heard him think, and I quote 'damn, so it was Itex who copped out the space program, I swear, they are going to get it, I know I need to stop worrying about it, the space program is Vince's to worry about but, and what was that about when they said they had a delay in Germany, when I asked how the computer programming was coming, sure I knew one of their locations was rioted but that one wasn't the computer lab. I seriously think something is up with that company, they've go corrupt or something. Oh they are going to get it…'" Angel smiled at me "and so I think we just made another ally, and figured out how Itex got into space." She crossed her arms, got up and walked over to the man.

Fang was about to run after her, but I held him back, let's see what Angel's about to do. Hey, having Russia as an ally would work well, that is a whole army of men, plus six mutant kids that equals the destruction of Itex. And other than that he may be able to help with the media, and economy net part.

Angel POV 

I hopped up and walked up to the President of Russia. I cleared my throat when I got near to him "Hi, sir, my name is Angel, and I think we might be able to help." I smiled angelically at him.

He shooed away one of his guards who was going to lead me away. "And how is that?"

"Well see sir, I am a genetically engineered human-avian hybrid, created by Itex, I and my Flock," I motion over to wear Max and the others were "are trying to save the world from Itex. We took out Germany and I am awfully sorry about the delay in you Computer programming, but they were trying to cut the world population in half."

The president bent down on one knee "If I take you to my house will you show me your wings?" He asked, this was easier than I thought.

"Yes, we will, but you will need to help us."

He laughed "Anyway I can help."

"Sir, can we go get my Flock?"

Max POV 

"Angel?" I asked when she led the Russian President over to us.

"Max, this is the President of Russia, sir this is Max, and Fang, and Iggy, and Nudge, and Gazzy, well the Gasman, but we call him Gazzy." Angel introduced him to us, pointing each of us out.

"Uh, sir," Iggy stepped up "I'm sorry if our sister had bothered you, she just ran off, I'm really sorry." Iggy pulled Angel back towards us.

The Russian President just laughed. "Well I was wondering if you would like to come to my home with me, and we might be able to talk some things out." He said in heavily accented English. He then added "You aren't in trouble."

I looked over to Fang, and raised my eyebrow, what had Angel gotten us into? Fang just shrugged, I took that as an okay go ahead. "Sure, sir." I took a step to follow him.

"Call me Emil." The President gestured for us to follow and we did.

After being led into the group of other men in suits, the lady with the legal pad came to the president…Emil's side.

"Kids this is Galia, she is my assistant." Emil turned to Galia, and spoke to her in Russian, I am seriously going to get annoyed with the language barriers soon, this is what, the second time?! "Вот некоторые друзья из шахты, вы могли бы принять их во Дворец. Вы можете использовать их для Веры, и получить их урегулировать. Я буду более после того, как я закончить некоторые деловые ее."

"Да, сэр." Galia turned to us and motioned to follow. I looked at Angel, she seemed to have a clue, she nodded so I trusted her and followed Galia.

We walked down the street a little way, and then turned, and walked down another nearly identical street, then turned again to walk up a gravel drive way with little green shrubs on either side. Looking straight ahead I saw a great big shoe box, with many pillars and windows. Look, I'm sure most other people look at architecture differently, but that's how I see it, it was a box, maybe this inside is more extravagant.

"This is The Great Kremlin Palace, where the president and his wife are staying while in Moscow." Galia informed us. "May I ask who you are?"

"Yes." Fang smirked; apparently he was even less happy with the current arrangement than I was.

"We are the Flock. I'm Angel, that was Fang, and then this is Gazzy, Iggy, Nudge and Max." Angel smiled up at Galia, and pointed each of us out again.

"Okay, well, come in Vera should probably meet you." Galia smiled slightly then continued to proceed to the front door.

When she opened it we were met by a hall of white and gold, and red. She went up a big stair case to the left and we followed. Every thing was huge, it had cathedral ceilings, and all the doors were twice the size they needed to be and looked like pure oak. She led us down a hall and knocked on one of the doors.

"Приезжайте дюйма" a voice echoed through the wood door.

Galia opened the door and walked inside. "Вера, вы муж, по-видимому, приглашенным гостем. Они говорят, что они называются птицы, и Эмиль, как представляется, их знаете. Он хочет меня бросить покинуть с вами."

"Эмиль ... то, что он будет делать дальше. Я должен поговорить с ним. Спасибо вам Galia, я могу взять их оттуда." We heard the person inside say as we stood by the door.

"Да. Да, и они являются иностранцами, я думаю, что они говорят только по-английски." Galia, stepped out to us and then said. "You can go in, that is Vera, the President's wife." And walked away.

I shot daggers at Angel and then stepped into the room. There sat a women wearing blue jeans, and a pink t-shirt, her hair was black, long, and pulled back into a pony tail. She was propped up on a lazy-boy with a book in her hands.

"Hi," I said shyly, better start trying to clean up this mess Angel got us into. "I am Maximum Ride, uh…" I was cut off by Angel who said.

"And I'm Angel, and this is Fang, Iggy, Gazzy, and Nudge." She introduced the Flock for the third time today. "We are genetically engineered hybrids, created by Itex, we are on the run, and need help, but we might also be able to help you." Fang pulled her back.

"Yeah, well…"I couldn't exactly cover up anything that Angel just said, I could try but chances were it wouldn't work out very well.

"Well then, I am Vera, and I am fully human. I suppose Emil invited you here for a reason, any idea what that reason might be?"

I saw Angel start to open her mouth, but Fang squeezed her should and she shut it. "No not really."

"Okay then." Vera got up "Let's get you guys a place to sleep, until we all get to the bottom of this, sound good?" She paused and we all nodded "You can have the six rooms across the hall. After you set you stuff down you can come back here or feel free to explore." I nodded, and turned around, and walked out the door the rest of the Flock followed suit.

I pointed to the doors randomly assigning rooms. Fang got the door to the far left, then Gazzy, Nudge, Iggy, Angel and Me. I walked into my room, there was a bathroom in the back right corner and a sitting area up in the front of the room, and I dropped my pack on one of the chairs and went further into it. There was a vanity next to a door on the left wall. I walked in that door to find the bed, it had about ten pillows and a two inch thick confuter .There was a night table, on the right, and on the left was a full length mirror. The Right side wall was covered with windows looking out on a court yard, and next to the door on the right was a wardrobe. On the left to the door across from the bed was a dresser. And in the corner between the dresser and the wall was a puffy chair. Okay this felt kind of like a five star hotel, I wonder if everyone else has a room like this.

I walked down the hall knocking on our doors telling everyone to gather in my room, because Angel had a lot of explaining to do. After everyone was in my room we sat in my sitting area.

"Angel, will you please explain now?" I looked at my baby.

"Yes, you see like I said earlier I found out he was mad at Itex, and all, and that he wasn't going to forgive them. So I walked up to him told him who we were. Apparently me and invited us here. I told him we'd show him our wings to prove I'm telling the truth. And now I think that we are going to get their help as allies, along with Chile, and any kids Fang can get, so we now have a real chance against Itex."

Fang shook his head "Angel you can't go around telling people who we are, just cause they are mad at Itex."

"Well" Iggy said "it sounds like Angel made the right move, plus this give us some cover to move, and man aren't the rooms sweet."

"But we could put Russia, and their President in danger if they find us." Fang pointed out.

"Yeah, well they are seriously going to be able to help us though, and we can make sure they know the risk, they aren't family so they won't feel like they have to."

"I agree with Iggy." Nudge started "I mean what if Itex has the Chinese government around their finger, we can't take them down, by ourselves, but we might be able to with the help of Chile and Russia, plus Russia is really close to China for when it is time. And when it comes time to invade China it will be convenient, and then Russia has a great space program so when it comes to space and as for Antarctica they might help in some way, I don't know how but you know they could like set up a base down there like we saw on TV that one time a long time ago and from there we can find Itex's base and…"

"We get it." Fang turned to me "So?"

"It sounds like Angel got us into this for better or for worse, but it doesn't seem to be dire bad so we can stay." The younger half of the flock, plus Iggy whooped, and Fang just shrugged.

"So, will we make plans with their military or something?" Gazzy asked.

"I don't know, maybe we can use their media, and space program, I don't like want to start a war or anything." Hm, but what if China and Itex do?

"Okay, but we will have it in case we need it right?" Gazzy looked at me.

"Yeah, but we aren't quite sure how strong this alliance is yet so, lets just leave it up to Russia on how they want to help us, at least right now."

Russian Translation:

"Some friends of mine, you could take them to the Palace. You can introduce them to Vera, and get them resolved. I will be better after I finish some of its business. "

"Yes, Sir." Galia, turned to us and motioned to fallow. I looked at Angel, she seemed to have a clue, she nodded so I trusted her and fallowed Galia.

We walked down the street a little ways and then turned, and walked down another nearly identical street, then turned again to walk up a gravel drive way with little green shrubs on either side. Looking strait ahead I saw a great big shoe box, with many pillars and windows. Look I'm sure most other people look at architecture differently, but that's how I see it, it was a box, maybe this inside is more extravagant.

"This is The Great Kremlin Palace, where the president and his wife are staying while in Moscow." Galia informed us. "May I ask who you are?"

"Yes." Fang smirked, apparently he was even less happy with the current arrangement than I was.

"We are the Flock. I'm Angel, that was Fang, then this is Gazzy, Iggy, Nudge and Max. "Angel smiled up at Galia, and pointed each of us out again.

"Okay, well, come in Vera should probably meet you." Galia smiled slightly then continued to procede to the front door.

When she opened it we were met by a hall of white and gold, and red. She went up a big stair case to the left and we fallowed. Every thing was huge, it had catherdrial ceilings, and all the doors were twice the size they needed to be an looked like pure oak. She lead us down a hall and knocked on one of the door.

"Come in." a voice echoed through the wood door.

Galia opened the door and walked inside. "Vera you husband has apparently invited guest. They say that they are called the Flock, and Emil seemed to know them. He wants me to give them to you. "

"Emil ... what he will do next. I must speak with him. Galia Thank you, I can take them from there. "We heard the person inside say as we stood by the door.

"Yes. Yes, and they are foreigners, I think that they only speak English. "Galia, stepped out to us and then said. "You can go in, that is Vera the Presidents wife." And walked away.

**So Yeah! Sorry it took forever… **

**PLEASE REVIEW!!! **

**Remember if you hate it tell me-If your confused tell me-if you love it tell me-if it is like just another story that you only read because you are board, you guessed it-TELL ME! **

**Thank's for reading! **

**(p.s I have a weird poll on my profile, but if you wouldn't mind checking it out, that questions been bothering me for awhile, I got all delusional on a walk with my dog and I think my neighbors are now afraid of me cause I was trying to figure out which name I liked best but I couldn't…you don't need another Nudge channel so I'll shut up now!)**


	28. Chapter 28

**okay people and readers who are still reading. I give you complete permision to like not want to read this any more, and complete permision to like want to hurt me. I hate excuses so I won't give you any, just know there were some complications with my beta and that slowed stuff down. this was written like 2 months ago-before final warning.**

**since Final warning came up i would like to state that this story has NOTHING to do with it, and is completely related to only the first three books. i would also like to say that in my view the final warning was a juvinial way of saying 'oh no the world will blow up tomorrow' if you would like to hear my full opinion just let me know.**

**also you might forget where we lefts off. to save you the time... the Flock went to Russia, where Angel ran into the president, they then go to the presidents home. hopefully all the details will come back to you.**

**DISCLAIMER; James Patterson wrote the origonal three works of fiction that this work of fiction is based off of.**

There was a knock on my door.

"Come in." I said, not really thinking. Really I don't know what to think of this whole Russian government thing, half of me is saying this is great, we have help, part of me is saying we don't even trust the government we were sort-of raised by, or at least near, why trust some foreign government we don't even know much about?

"Hey, Max." Emil walked in casually, he had changed out of his suit and was wearing a green shirt and blue jeans, Vera was close behind him along with a man I didn't recognize, who was also casually dressed.

"Hi." I said timid, something about this started to make me feel uneasy, like I did when we were at Anne's, something was out of place. "Sit down." I motioned to the empty seats.

They sat and Emil said "First off, this is Vince, the Prime Minister of Russia. Next Angel I do believe you promised."

Angel smiled and stood up, she carefully spread her dove white wings, so they where close to her full span of about seven feet. Then Gazzy fallowed her, his light cream wings, out at about ten feet. Nudge got up, pulling Iggy, then they both put out their wings, Iggy's alabaster, a dirty white, and Nudge's the color of chocolate. I noticed Nudges had grown since I last bothered to look at their span and where now reaching about 13 feet, and I was amazed Iggy was able to open his wings all the way inside, his span was reaching 17 feet. I looked at, Fang and he shrugged, and we joined in. Fang snapped his out his to reaching out about 17 feet, the light dancing off the deep and dark black. My wings now reached about 15 and ½, maybe 16 feet in span, the dark speckles showing up on the deep tan accompanied by some white and black speckles, I always loved my wings, not because they made me who I am, but because they held little pieces of the rest of the flock. If you looked closely, each spot was the color of one of the flocks wings, except for the dark tan base. I looked around and smiled, this was my Flock.

"Woah. Emil, you weren't lying to me." The Prime minister looked surprised, and I could see aw on all three of their faces, as we folded in out wings and sat down again.

"Angel, you said you guys needed some help." Vera looked at Angel.

"Yes, but we can also help you." Angel smiled at me.

"And how is that?" Emil asked.

"Well see sure, I can kind of read minds. And well, um I over heard you thinking about how mad you where at Itex, and that they did something with the space program, and delayed some computer thing for you, and all. So I thought that you might appreciate what we are trying to do and maybe be able to help a teensy bit."

"What are you trying to do?" Vince asked.

This time Angel let me answer. "Well I am supposed to save the world. Technically I was created to help kill off half of the population of the world, somehow saving everyone. At least from what I can gather. A couple of months ago, we don't really keep track of the time, Itex decided to go through with the "IN-Half" plan, and they made robots to do what they'd originally created us for, and where going to send them out by the millions, with guns to kill anyone and everyone who was weak, and didn't meet their expectations, but we were in their way. And well sort-of we stopped them, and thought we destroyed them, but we didn't cause about a month ago a bunch of the robots, we call them flyboys, chased us from my mom's home in Arizona. So Itex was back and we are on the lamb again." I paused for a second giving it time to soak in. Truthfully I never realized how long the summary of our life is, I would love to here Nudge's version. Then continued "Now we are trying to stop them from destroying the world again. We don't know what their exact plan is but, we think it is based in three places: outer space, Antarctica, and China. So we kind of need help. As for how we can help you…I think Angel, our six year old, was thinking that we could help you get pay back with Itex, kind-a because we need to destroy them anyway."

"I see." Emil nodded. "You are how old?"

"Fang, Iggy and I are fourteen, Nudge is eleven, Gazzy is eight, and Angel is six."

"Actually, I'm seven now." Angel reminded me.

"Okay, thats a lot on your plate for such young people." Vera looked at us with pity in her eyes.

"Anyway we can help." Vince said with a smile. "But could we have some background information, and all."

"Uh…"does he want me to tell him the whole story, well it all started one day, god knows how long ago when Angel wanted to pick strawberry's and Erasers took her so we set out looking for her, in the process of getting her back we found out about a place where we could find out about our family's, then we found out I was supposed to…

"Max." Total said behind me. I jumped a little, I had forgotten about him, again.

"Did that dog talk?" Vera asked pointing at Total.

"Yeah, it did." Total hopped in front of everyone in the center of our circle. "You know there is this one dude, who was nice enough to write our story down in like books, and they are actually pretty, well exactly accurate. And he doesn't forget about me, and leave me in a backpack all day, after a flight I was smuggled on to." Total stuck his tongue out as me, I just shrugged. "The dudes name is James Patterson, and the books are Maximum Ride, named after miss priss forget about the innocent talking dog here."

Right, well that makes it easier for me.

"Good. We'll read them then we'll talk. Fair?" Vince asked us.

"Fair." The whole flock said at once, plus that gives us some down time.

"Wonderful. So kids, we will leave you be. Feel free to ask for whatever you need, we will be happy to get it for you." Emil, smiled and shook my hand then Fang's, apparently he somehow figured out Fang was second in command.

Emil and Vince left, but Vera hung back. "So kids, I saw you didn't come with much stuff, do you need anything now, like clothes, or toothbrushes, or something?"

"Yeah, we are, were kind of on the move. But I think we are fine." I said smiling, but apparently Nudge had a different idea.

"You mean like, we could go shopping or something. Cause you know some of our clothes suck, and I am like growing out mine, and by the look of Gazzy's tummy he is too. Like we never go shopping, cause until recently we didn't have the money, but now thanks to Jeb, and Ms. Martinez, and uh well lets just say a lot of people who are in Chile now we are like rich. I suppose we could go shopping ourselves, but then again we like don't know the language or anything, and you know you could help us with that. Oh if you mean like shopping!" Nudge squealed when she was finished.

"Hey, did you call be fat?" Gazzy held his fist up to Nudge "Or just my clothes are to small."

"Gazzy!" she rolled her eyes "How could you be fat? You know like I guess if we could eat all we wanted daily, and didn't have to keep moving you could be. Ew, you'd be ugly if you were fat. No I meant like your clothes are too small, like mine! I mean I think my jeans used to cover my whole leg, like pants are supposed to, now they are more like Capri's they only go down to my shin. Like isn't it kind of ugly, I mean if they were meant to be Capri's they wouldn't be that bad but they weren't, so they are horrible."

Vera laughed, "Sure if you guys want, we can go down to the plaza or mall now. We can pay for your purchases."

Nudge, eyes lit up, and she squealed more, while Angel clapped her hands, Fang sighed, Iggy rolled his sightless eyes, and Gazzy did a sort of happy dance. Man I never thought shopping would be so exciting.

"Its fine, we have the money, we've got a lot of money." Iggy said for me, because I was still speechless.

"Okay then." Vera laughed again. "We can walk if you want, or I can drive if you would pre…uh want that more."

"Walking works." Fang said, as he grabbed my pack.

"Lets go!" Gazzy said enthusiastically.

We walked back down the big stairs, and through the big hall, and then out the front door. I was taking in the fact that I would actually be shopping in a real store. Its not like I've never been shopping, I went grocery shopping and I got our clothes at the nearest 'Goodwill' and well then there was that time in New York when we went to the toy store and got that makeover. However never have I really been shopping like at a mall or store plaza like in the movies.

We walked down the street were we first really met the Emil, then down another really long street. A row of stores appeared in front of us. There were all kinds of stores, clothes stores, dog stuff stores, cooking stores, toy stores, stuffed animal stores, and hardware stores. All of our eyes got big, well except for Iggy, who was grinning as Gazzy described the sight to him. Total ran towards the dog stuff store, and Angel was pointing at the stuffed animal store, holding Celeste tight to her chest.

"Okay, well. I suppose the older trio should go check out those stores." Vera pointed over to three stores. One of them had a bunch of dark colored clothes in the window, that was just screaming Fang. The one next to it had a bunch of jeans and semi feminine shirts in one of their windows, and total dressy stuff in the other window. And then there was the third store, it had clothes for both sexes in the window, the male clothes were manly khaki's and white t-shirts covered with plaid, I had a feeling that was were Iggy would go, with Fang and I to describe the stuff to him. "The Angel, you will probably like the little girls store there." Vera pointed to a store with a pink awning, in the window where little manikins with leggings and to-tos and shirts of all the girly colors like pink and purple, and baby blue, with butterflies and hearts on them. "Gazzy, you might like that store," Vera pointed to one with a bunch of manikins wearing baseball caps, and shorts with plain colored shirts. "Nudge, hmm, you might like the store Max will go to, but probably will find more there." She pointed to a store that didn't really have a store front, but instead had a bunch of sign's saying stuff like 'BIG WINTER SALE!' or '60 OFF ALL SWEATERS'. "So you can split up, I'll float between the six stores, and in a hour we will meet up here." Vera smiled and grabbed Angels hand leading her to the little girls pink store.

"Max, can I, go look at clothes now?" Gazzy asked, a little unsure.

"Sure, Iggy, how about you go with him." I said.

"Max," Fang began to say "how are we going to split the card up between six stores at the same time?"

Practical Fang. "I don't know. Iggy, have Gazzy place his clothes on hold under Max Martinez. Right, and Gazzy when your finished go with Iggy to that store." I pointed to the one with the Khaki's and plaid.

"Sure Max." Gazzy waved at us before pulling Iggy away.

"So, Fang, I've seen you mouth watering, go." I pushed Fang toward the store with all the dark colors then turned to Nudge, "So lets get started."

"Okay, Max I am so glad we are shopping!" She squealed before running off toward the store that Vera pointed out for me.

I fallowed. Looking around the store I felt lost.

"Могу ли я помочь вам?" a sales lady walked up to us.

"Um, we only speak English." I said un-surely.

"Okay." The sales lady smiled, "Can I help you?" her English was heavily accented and hard to understand, it also kind of reminded me of Borche, but it was better than nothing.

"Yeah, um where are the jeans?" might as well start somewhere.

"Over here." She lead us to the back of the store where I saw a lots, and lots of spinning racks of jeans, in every cut, size, and shade, hey there were even some in really weird colors. "Do you need any other help?"

"Well, do you have any idea what size I might start looking at?"

"Sure, here." The sales lady grabbed a measuring tape, and rapped it around my waste, than she took the length of by leg. "You would probably be a 2 or 4 depending on the cut."

"Thanks."

"How about me?" Nudge asked, she was still bouncing up and down with excitement. "I mean I don't think this store will have my size or anything but, you never know."

"Try 0, and if that to small maybe 1." The sales lady smiled, and turned to leave.

I started to browse through the racks. I found a really light, almost white blue jean, and thought how bad blood would stain on that but grabbed it anyway to try on. Nudge started rambling on about how awesome this was, as I continued on to the next rack. There I found an almost black jean like Fangs, but this was cut for a girl with a boot flare at the bottom, and golden threads, hey Fang would get a good laugh at it so I grabbed it. Then found just a generic darker blue jean, and grabbed a few.

"So…" I looked at Nudge for help.

"Lets go to the skirts I think you could use some skirts. You know I don't know how we would, you know, in them, but they are really pretty so you can at least try a couple on and…"

"Okay!" I threw my free hand up in the air, "To the skirts it is."

We found the skirts rather easily, manly because they were right next to the jeans. I seriously didn't know how a skirt would work flying, but maybe with shorts underneath. As soon as I got a good look at them that was it I was hypnotized, they were amazing. I immediately grabbed a brown one with large pockets up front, then I chose a longer light green flowy one, and one more blue one, that was shorter that the green one but just as flowy. The flock was going to get a laugh out of this I was sure, me, Max, willingly getting skirts! Scandalous, but what harm could a couple do? I probably wouldn't even buy them, just try them on.

"Max! Those are so totally cute! You know Fang drools over you already he will so be out of his mind if he doesn't when you are in those! You will look so cool, it will kind of go against the tomboy image, but who said you didn't have a feminine side? You know I think that you will look really good in those, manly because it will show the feminine, casual side that doesn't have to, you know, act all old. Can we look at the sweats, and then go over to the shirts, cause even thought nothing in here fits me…" Nudge went on, when Vera waved at me. I noticed everyone in the store kind of went still and looked at her, then at us, well she is their first-lady I suppose.

"Max! So you have been successful?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Good. I told Angel to stay in the little girls store, and put anything she wanted on hold under Max, you can look at what she got after we meet up and pay for it, if you want."

"Sounds great. How many to-to's did she want?"

Vera laughed "You'll see for yourself. I'll head over to find the boys. Have fun." She waved at us, and kind of danced out of the store in a way that seemed like she wasn't a full grown woman.

"Max, how come they don't like have the Russian secret service around her? Like they would in the US for the President or first lady?" Nudge asked as we found our way to the sweats.

"Don't know, maybe there would be if she wanted them, but it seems like she feels pretty safe. But with us I guess you will never really know." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Yeah I think you are right. You want to…" I droned Nudge out as I chose a couple pairs of sweats. I started to head towards the shirts, on the way I spotted the camisoles and tank tops, I grabbed a couple, hoping Nudge didn't find this weird. "Wow! Those are really nice colors Max. I think you would look good in polo shirts or those weirdish, casual, dress shirts." Nudge pointed over to a sea of racks with…drum role…shirts on them.

Looking around in the sea of shirts, I chose a couple polo t-shirts in black, purple, green, blue, and a pink one just for Angel. Then I grabbed a three of those weird casual button up shirts. One was just plain white, one had vertical lines of purple and pink dots, and one had random outlines of flowers in blue, teal, green and brown. While browsing I found a black shirt the had wings on the back and said something in Russian. I grabbed one for me, then found a small one in white for Nudge. Hopefully we could find something like this for the rest of the flock, that would just be, wicked cool.

"Ready Nudge?"

"Yep!" Nudge smiled up at me, amazingly leaving her answer at one word.

I quickly tried everything on, and headed to the checkout counter, and since I had the card I could just pay for it now instead of holding.

In Nudges store we basically went through the same routine, but Nudge had to verbally assess every piece she picked out, but what can one expect from the Nudge channel?

**YOU WARNING TO ALL BOYS-THIS MAYBE AWKWARD, YOU MAY SKIP IF WANT…**

"Max?" Nudge looked at me as we passed the bra section. "Do you think, maybe?" Her eyes pleaded my understanding.

"Of course Nudge, you are growing up." I smiled reassuringly at her, she was young lady, and better to get this…awkward…thing done now, instead of waiting till we are in the middle of nowhere trying to blend in.

"What size do you think I am?"

"Hmm, well Jeb never really taught me much about sizing, he just gave me one." I think Jeb said something about sports bras being better for us because my well our wings could break through, and latter I found that camisoles worked. "Lets try these." I grabbed a couple sports bras and camisoles.

We went into the changing room, and I watched Nudge try them on one after another. We gathered a pile of ones that fit, and ones that didn't. In the end, we walked out with 3 sports bras, and four camisoles.

"Thank you Max, I was starting to…"

Before Nudge could go into the details, I said "Hey I was there to, no problem."

**AWKWARDNESS OVER-ALL BOYS START READING AGAIN!**

Nudge and I bought all of her clothing and met up where Vera said to. We were the only ones carrying shopping bags probably because I was the one with all the money.

"Hey girls." Vera said smiling. "Glad to see you were successful."

"Thanks." I turned to the flock, holding the card out, "who's first?" I asked.

"ME!" Gazzy was waving his hand in the air.

"Sure." We all walked over to the store Gazzy was at, and paid.

It seemed to be eyes were fallowing us everywhere we went as I went and paid for, and looked through (well only for Angel) the clothes that the others had chosen.

"Let's go home." The whole flock seemed to say at once. Apparently in less than a day the Russian palace, what is Galia say is was called, was already feeling like a home. But then again with us that's not very hard.

Then it started snowing. And Gazzy ran up to me shivering "Max, I'm cold." I knelt down and picked him up. I know I know, most of the time fourteen year olds can't pick up eight year olds, but we are like super strong mutants, and that rule doesn't apply to us. Fang fallowed my lead and picked up Angel. While Nudge and Iggy just shivered and tried to stay warm.

Vera laughed "Need coats?" she asked, and I noticed she had been wearing a ski jacket.

"Yeah." I looked around for a winter gear store.

"Over here we fallowed Vera into a place with ski's and snowboards, and sleds in the shop window, that seems to fallow my description of a place that would sell coats.

Angel chose a pink and purple puffy coat, that I can only imagine how hard it will be to tailor to let her wings out, but it is kind of cute. Nudge chose a baby blue ski jacket and I chose a similar pastel lime green one. Fang predictably got a black ski jacket, while Iggy got a weird orange that looked like the jumpsuits, some jails put their prisoners in, and some garbage men wear. Gazzy took the longest to find his, he wanted a ski jacket, like ours, but couldn't really find anything but puffy coats.

"Gasman, how about this?" Iggy called from across the store. He held up a coat that wasn't as bulky as Angels puffy one, but wasn't a Ski jacket.

"Fine, but only because I like the color." Gazzy grinned, looking at the forest green camouflage.

After paying we were finally on our way. Vera invited us to join them for dinner in about an hour and we were off to put out stuff away. Well in reality sort it, putting away the pants and piling all the shirts on my bed for me to fix up for our wings. The rest of the flock went off into their own rooms, to do I don't know what. When I was alone I decided to just take a nice hot shower.

When I was just about finished, I heard rustling out in the bathroom. I peaked around the curtain to see Gazzy, just standing there.

"Max, I need to talk to you." He said.

"Gazzy!" I nearly screamed, then lowered my voice and added "Can it wait?"

"Well…"

"Gas, I'm naked." I carefully turned off the water and reached out for a towel.

"But Max…"

"Out." I pointed to the door.

"Max but…"

"Out." My voice was harsh as I pointed to the door, holding the towel around me.

"It's important, Max."

"Dude, just wait, let me get dressed, then we can talk. And, OUT!"

"Fine." Gazzy pouted than turned to wait in the sitting area. While I darted for my room to grab clothes. After getting dressed I went out and sat next to the Gasman.

"Now, what was so important?"

"Uh, well, I think that Fang, and Vera look alike."

"And that is important how?"

"What if Anne wasn't really his mom, and everything she and Jeb said were just to send him on a guilt trip, I mean think about it, they look nothing alike. You know with genitics and what not shouldn't they look something alike. I mean you have Jebs, eyes and hair, and Dr. Martinez's nose, and all. Anne could be mine and Angels mom though, she looked like us, and was the kind of person who just might sell both her kids."

"I'll think about it okay." I tasseled his hair.

"Max, I'm serious, what if the picture was me."

"Gazzy, we have a picture of you remember? And I think Fang would of recognized you anyway."

"But what if I was younger in that picture Fang found. Anyways did it look like him at all?"

"Like I said Gas, I'll think about it. You hungry?" What was that about? I'll just leave it be, seriously I think Fang was happy with a crack head for a mother and doesn't need the Russian first lady or Anne, but some of what Gazzy said made since.

"Yeah, okay."

"Lets go get the rest of the flock and head for dinner."

When we found the dining room it was quite what I expected. Well, then again what experience do I have? Anyway the dining room had a circular table in the center of the room that looked just big enough to fit us. Then on the walls of the room smaller circle tables were scattered and piled with food. Emil and Vera were already sitting, and by the looks of all the food they had already found out about our colossal appetites.

We sat down and I nodded to the flock when their eyes turned to me. Their mouths were watering as we dug into the different piles of food.

"So do you guys celebrate Christmas?" Vera asked after awhile.

"Well, it depends. One year, well actually the first year Jeb saved us from the School we celebrated Hanukah, because he was Jewish. We were going to celebrate it the next year but, he disappeared before we could, and after that it hurt to much cause we thought he was dead. Turns out he wasn't but he might as well of been, well actually that might be a little to mean, like everyone deserves to live and all. Anyway we would have been just as happy celebrating Christmas then because we haven't quite chosen our religion yet. Do most people chose their religion or what? How does that work? Well we'd chose ours if we wanted to, before we had to run to Chile Ms. Martinez, Max's Mom let us go to Church and that was really fun. On the run we wouldn't of celebrated Christmas, or didn't, when is Christmas, like I know its on the 25 of December, who doesn't but like in relativity to today when is it? I suppose in short we do, or would or what ever, we just haven't really had the chance." Nudge concluded, who else other than Nudge could make this answer so, long?

"Well, tomorrow is Christmas," Emil started.

"And, if it is all right with you, we'd be honored if you would celebrate it with us."

"Yes!" Gazzy punched the air.

I glanced over at Fang, in his usual dark and silent way, he was smiling as if the worlds weight had been taken off his shoulders, of course this being Fang all that is, is a grin, but what ever. "Sure." I had always wanted to celebrate Christmas it always seemed like so much fun, when we used to watch the Christmas specials on TV, and it might just make me feel like a kid for the first time in forever. I am sick of being mature and making important dissensions. Hey I am only fourteen.

"Great. Maybe Iggy can join Emil in the kitchen, and we can have a traditional Christmas brunch feast. After that we can go ice skating, and if there is enough snow we can make a sleading mountain, or just go to one. And I think well we'll just have to see how much time we have." Vera started bouncing like Angel and Nudge already were.

"Cool." Was all Fang said, but you could so se that inner juvenile ready to leap in the air and start happy dancing and rambling on what Santa might bring you.

"Vera, maybe you should explain how our Christmas works." Emil said over our excitement.

"Why don't you." Vera said as she eyed Gazzy who just took another plate.

"Fine. Well kids, in Russia we celebrate Christmas through Winter Fesival. It starts tomorrow, and goes on till Jan. 6 or 7 when Babushka comes, she is our version of Santa. Anyway it may be a little different."

"Hey, we've never celebrated it anyway, so it won't make that much difference." Iggy pointed out. "I'm stuffed."

At about the same time the rest of the Flock decided they where full too and we headed up our rooms. I started fixing up our shirts so we can fly without totally ruining them. While I was doing it I let my thoughts drift.

What if Gazzy had been correct about Anne and Fang's mother? I mean it would be great but I think no matter how much we don't like it, she is, Fang's mater, mom, mother, and she is dead. However one important thing that Gazzy pointed out, is that Fang looks nothing like Anne, and so he must take after his father, in which we haven't found yet. And we still need to find Nudges, and Angel's parents, we should make that a point again after we save the world. My search didn't turn out to bad, I do after all have mom, Dr. Martinez, and Ella. Iggy's turned out a bit disappointing, but he met them, and didn't connect, we missed him anyway and I am halfway glad his parents opened the door for him to run back to us. That still leaves the question though if we really want to continue the peruse, after all, Fang does keep saying sometimes its better not to know.

In the morning I will just let my worries go for the day, and have fun, its Christmas and everyone deserves a break, even me. Then I will begin to work on a plan, and hopefully Emil and Vince will be ready to look at the big picture, that the world could end as we know it sometime soon, unless I stop it. And frankly I could use some help.

I finished up our shirts, and snuck off into the others rooms to put them away. Thankfully everyone was asleep but, Fang who was updating the blog and didn't notice me anyway. Then I went into my room, and stripped, rummaging through a my backpack hoping I had one last GoodNight® left. I did, I'll need to remember to get more though. I put it on, only wishing I had a normal fourteen year olds bladder verses one of a mutant avian hybrid, because apparently our bladders work more like birds when we are unconscious, just luckily they work like normal when we are awake. It is so embarrassing having to wear a diaper to bed, but as soon as my head hit the feather pillows and my body molded into the mattress, that didn't matter anymore. I was in a bed, safe and tucked away for at least one night. I closed my eyes and aloud fantasies of other worlds bask me in my unconscious state.

**So, thanks for reading, and thanks to Melissaeverlasting for letting me know there are/were major mistakes scattered throughout these next chapters. Uh she also pointed out that the last bit about the GoodNights(r) is a bit awkward, I agree now, but it was something that just came to me, and I can't personally figure out a better way to just give closure to Max's day. Maybe and awkward ending is best here?**

**THANK YOU so much for reading. PLEASE REVIEW, and flames are welcome. AGAIN THANKS FOR READING. **

sorry about the lateness if you want the whole story just ask. or any other questions.


	29. Chapter 29

**so even though its been awhile since i last updated that doesn't mean much. I have like three of four more chapters and one in the writing so don't worry anymore. I promise after this it will be at least one a week, or I will warn you. (in two weeks I will be stranded on an idland somewhere in the Bahamah;s with school...just one of the perks of going to Clark, so I won't be posting then...but I double up the next week) **

**Fair?**

**oh and with this two week promise May 3-May 9th is one week May 10-May 17 is one week, May 17-May 25 I can't post (the stranded thing) and May 27-to the end of may is one week/post (I'll try to post 2 here). So just to clear that up!**

"Okay, Iggy are you sure you can do this?" Vera asked me for the umpteenth time as we were strapping on the skis.

"I'm fine." I smiled, and stood up and grabbed Total's lead, and my ski sticks. This'll be interesting, the blind guy skiing, and the obnoxious talking dog pretending to guide him. Oh well, at least Max talked Vera into letting me.

"So remember to stop, you turn like this, to turn you move the foot on the side you want to turn like this, and to balance yourself use you sticks." Emil pepped us; I can imagine he was demonstrating to the rest of the flock, he wasn't being very descriptive.

"Ig." Gazzy whispered up to me "To stop turn all your body weight, and make both ski's horizontal. To turn move the foot you want to turn, out a little at the degree you want. I'll shout out if there is any reason to turn."

"Thanks."

"Oh and to speed up go like this." Emil added to his speech.

"Zigzag with your feet." Gazzy translated for me. I nodded, and stood up.

"Let's go!" I punched the air and used by sticks to move forward a bit.

Emil led us to the ski lift and we road up the mountain. A note about ski lifts, they are so uncomfortable, and don't sit next to Gazzy on one. Anyways at the top, Nudge began to ramble on about how cool it was we were actually on a mountain, that had snow, and how we had skis, and if we remembered that time we were snowed in at the E shaped house.

"Go left Ig." Fang called over Nudge's ramble, and the he patted my shoulder.

"Whoa, watch would you?!" Nudge screamed when I ran into her.

"Your not hurt so, stop talking and go. Plus I'd love to watch it." Oops, she's the one who can see though.

And finally after out classic beginning we were on the slopes skiing. I could hear someone whooshing in large unsteady zigzags, probably Nudge. Gazz's snow was spewing into my face, as he went steadily in a strait line. Angel giggled as she cling to Max, and then worked their way down the mountain. As normal I could barely locate Fang, but chances were he was following close behind Max, in practiced movements, even though he has never skied before he's seems to be a natural at this kind of thing. I mean seriously, back when Max was in Germany, he like was awesome on the motor-cycle when he was leading the cult in California. As for how I was doing, pretty well, I think. You know I probably looked like an uncoordinated monkey, but who knows maybe Nudge looked like a broken jack-in the box (don't ask), at least I wasn't running into everything.

"Right!" Total yelped, I turned quickly feeling the brush of a pine tree on my shoulder. "Dude, good maneuver but remember about me too."

After everyone got the hang of it we were laughing as we worked our way down the slope. The feeling of power swept over me as I gained confidence on the ski's, the wind biting at my face, my legs, and arms moving in unison, and my body becoming alert to Total's movements. It felt like the power, and alertness I gained when fighting Erasers, or Flyboys or something but this time I was safe, nothing was threatening me or my flock.

"After this do you guys want to head out and get some food, then we can skate." Vera called back.

"Sure that would be great. I mean like food is awesome, and I want to skate it will be so much fun. Where are we going to eat? What kind of food do you have here? Like I'm sure you have like McDonald's like once forever ago, I think we were at Anne's house, I was watching a PBS program and they were like talking about how there were McDonalds all over the world because people like to have the same kind of food wherever they go. But like what kind of local food do you have? I'm sort-of hungry, like I could definitely eat, but I am not nearly as hungry as I have been in the past. But as soon as we finish this slope I want to eat, and then go ice-skating." Nudge response to Vera's very simple question.

"I agree with Nudge." The Gasman said.

"Same here, we'll pay though." Max finalized the plans.

"Dear, you don't have to pay; we'll take care of it." Emil said, is voice was light and kind, like he was smiling.

"No, seriously, we have enough money at our dispense, plus I'd prefer we didn't eat you out of house and home." Well, that's Max for you.

"We'll split the bill then, but dear you came to us with barely more than the cloth on you body you don't need to pay a penny, we can afford to take care of it." Vera said, she did have a point but, you know, but Max did too.

We continued to go down the slope joking, I even managed to make Max threaten me. Yay, yeah I know that doesn't sound as good as it is, but with my since of humor, and Max's moral, well it's as good as her braking down laughing. Awesome!

When we got to the bottom of the slope, Emil helped us out of out skis while Vera called Galia, to make our reservations for lunch. Even though I personally couldn't understand a word they were saying I listened in.

"Здравствуйте, Galia? ... Да это Вера ... Конечно, мы с мячом ... Прошу Вас зарезервировать нам привет комнату на кухни России? ... Конечно Винс могут присоединиться к нам, и Вас, слишком Galia ... OK затем сделать его девять мест ... да Galia ... Спасибо, Пока." Hmm, I wonder what she said, all I got was Galia and Vince, names aren't that hard to recognize in another language, but everything else is. I wonder how it is for Angel if she is reading someone's mind who thinks in a different language. I'll have to remember to ask her sometime.

"Okay, everyone." Vera called out, and we all hurried over to her. "We are going to eat at The Russian Kitchen, I believe is how it would translate, and Vince will meet us there. Shall we leave soon now?"

"Let's go." Fang said, and we all poured into the uber slow car again.

RUSSIAN TRANSLATION

"Hello, Galia?...Yes this is Vera...of course, we're having a ball...Would you please reserve us a privet room at the Kitchen of Russia?...of course Vince can join us, and you are welcome too, Galia...OK then so make it nine seats...yes Gallia...Thank you, Bye."

**Thanks so much for reading please review for this one, and the last one and the next one even if they are all only a click away till the next chapter. **

**uh, I hope I fixed most of the mistakes, let me know if you see anymore...THANKS Mellissaeverlasting (sorry if I spelled that wrong). **


	30. Chapter 30

**So sorry if you couldn't tell but the last chapter was in iggy's pov, and this one will be in Nudges. Hope you enjoy.**

**Oh and see I am updating! I'd also like to apologize for taking so long to re-edit these, but I keep getting distracted, so all of them should be up by the end of today, plus a new one! YAY!  
**

OMG, OMG, OMG!! We are like eating out at a fancy Russian restaurant. OMG, OMG, OMG!! Well it could go like bad, you know like that time in New York when Max dumped olive oil on the waiters head? But then again this time we are with adults so they aren't likely to give us much trouble. I mean like it would be so funny though if they didn't give their President, and Prime Minister, and their guest what they ordered. Scandalous major! Still I am super excited, can you not tell?

"We're here." Vera turned to me. "Excited Nudge?"

I guess she could tell, I'm like bouncing in my seat right now. "Yep, I am like super excited. Last time we went to a fancy restaurant they wouldn't let us get what we ordered, afraid we wouldn't eat it all, and Max ended up dumping olive oil on the waiters head. Well I guess you read about it, didn't you. Well we got like seen by the press and since we are trying to stay incognito, like that wasn't good. But luckily this really cool, and yet weird salon offered to give us free make-over's. That how Max's hair go so blond. Max's hair used to just be brown with like golden highlights that would reflect the sun making it shimmer slightly, then in the make over they bleached some of it pink, Max looked so sour, when she looked in the mirror, but at the same time she was happy because we weren't recognizable. Anyway they also put in some blond lots of blond streaks, and cut it, and for the time being they striated it. After she got her head wet in the rain though well her hair wasn't strait anymore. And as for the pink it's bleached out in the sun and now she looks more blond than brown, if you can't tell her hair has also grown out a little. Oh and Gazzy, and Iggy got their hair spike. Like they bleached Gazzy's and I think they died the tips of Ig's orange. But Iggy also got his ear pieced; I think that probably the only part of the make-over that's really lasted. Fang like got almost all of his hair cut off, except for his bangs which sort-of hung in his eyes, and they like but some tan die in his hair, Max said it looked like a hawks plumage. Oh and now I remember Gazzy's tips where dyed electric blue, you can still sort of see that. I like Fang's hair better now when its all fluffy, and shaggy and grown out, I also like Iggy's better long, but his hair isn't like Fang's and needs to be shaped, no offence Iggy. Oh and I looked so adorable, they flat ironed my hair, so it wasn't a puff ball, an layered it, I used to flat-iron my hair at Anne's, well Anne would help me sometimes, but I like it both ways. And don't forget the blond highlights they are still there but most of the time they are hidden in my see of black. I don't think they did much to Angel, but give her a trim, but Angel doesn't need any cosmetics to look adorable. Hey, do you think we should have_ normal_ names for when we go in there? I so call Monique." Everyone was looking at me, mouths agape.

"Sure Nudge, uh Monique, normal names are a good idea." Max nodded. "Well I am going to me Maxine Alex Martinez, call me Alex, and before you ask I'm coding just to be safe." Max pointed at Fang. "Your Nick, Gas you are Jason, Iggy uh, James, Angel, Angela, Ange for short. Got it? Good." Max got out of the car.

"Guys this way." Emil motioned for us to fallow. I like Emil and Vera a lot, though I don't know how much I like Vince, I probably will like him after I get to know him, but I don't know him very well yet.

We fallowed Emil and Vera through the restraint to the back where it sectioned off into a privet room that had a big table with a red table cloth on it. Vince was already there sitting with the menu open. The walls in the room where like a light, pasty almost cream yellow that compromised with the table cloth well. I don't know why but I notice that kind of detail well.

"Oo brought da vog?" Vince asked nodding his head to Total; I noticed his English wasn't as practiced as it normally was maybe he wasn't giving it his full effort.

"Yeah, got a problem with that!?" Total snapped. "I first of have a name, Total, and wish people would, and second off I need to eat too! So deal cir Wince Rime Vinester of Frussia."

Max glared at Total, I guess he was supposed to shut up while we were in here, oh well I feel for him, sometimes its hard not to say what on you mind. Just like it's hard not to explain like you mean, and after I get started I just have to continue so people know what I am thinking. Oh and I also wish people would stop throwing around all these weird over accents.

"Is it okay with you guys if we just order a bunch of food, and then you choosing what you wanting home style?" Vera asked, smiling as us.

"Of course, I don't think we'd be able to read anything anyways, I mean it's like all in Russian, isn't it? And well we can't read or speak Russian."

"Right, Monique, Alex do you have a say?" Vince said, now with a friendly smile on his face; see I was right he didn't have to speak with that silly exaggerated accent. How did he know my _normal_ name, maybe Emil whispered it in his ear.

"Uh, no, Monique's right." Max sat down, and the rest of us fallowed suit.

With in a few moments a waiter came in and said, " Готовы ли вы на заказ?" (**Are**** you ****ready**** to**** order****?)**

"Да, я считаю, мы находимся. Мы будем иметь три распоряжения  
Хальва Дружба, подсолнечника halva, Sufle 1 фунт сахара бесплатно, Sushki Chelnochok, Балик Украины дыма, Московская холодного копчения, Балик Darnitskiy, холодного копчения, Компот смеси  
Гречневой крупы 1 фунт, гречневой крупы Семеновна  
Kozinaki, гречневой Кашеваров Ячмень Семеновна, Mannaya krupa, Ячмень Семеновна, круглым рисом Семеновна, Леди palustris cormus, Honey серебро, белые сушеные грибы porcini, Oblepihovoe нефти, печени трески, салат из морских водорослей  
Каламари, холодного копчения turbot, Stavridka 80 г, царь Шпроты, Балик Капитан, Tyulka, краб мясо, Лещ  
, Славянский горошину суп, Vegeteble суп из макарон, Mashroom Суп с Нудлес, Квас Ochakovsky 2L, Квас Ochakovsky 1 лт  
Оранж 0,4 л, Osvezhis! Tarkhun, Ситра напиток, Osvezhis! Читро и Шоколадный бар Астория. Убедитесь, что вы запомнили его трех порядков каждый. Спасибо."

**(Yes, I do believe we are. We will have three orders of**

**Halva Druzhba ,Sunflower halva ,Sufle 1 lb sugar free,Sushki Chelnochok ,Balik Ukrainian smoke,Moscovskaya cold smoked ,Balik Darnitskiy, cold smoked ,Compote mix ,Buckwheat groats 1 lb,Buckwheat groats Semenovna **

**Kozinaki ,Buckwheat Kashevarov ,Barley Semenovna ,Mannaya krupa ,Barley Semenovna ,Round rice Semenovna ,Ledi palustris cormus ,Honey silver ,White dried porcini mushrooms ,Oblepihovoe oil ,Cod Liver ,Seaweed salad **

**Calamari ,Cold smoked turbot,Stavridka 80 g ,Czar Sprats,Balik Capitan ,Tyulka ,Crab Meat ,Bream ,Slavyansky pea soup ,Vegeteble soup with pasta ,Mashroom Soup with Noodles ,Kvas Ochakovsky 2L ,Kvas Ochakovsky 1 lt Orange 0.4 litre,Osvezhis! Tarkhun ,Citra Drink,Osvezhis! Citro, and Chocolate bar Astoria. Make sure you remeber its three orders of each. Thank You., mostly food so, its not very readable anyway.)** Vera said to the waiter, wow it sounds like she said a lot, yay that probably means a lot of food.

"Да мэм, трех порядков каждый." **(Yes ma'am, three orders of each.) **The waiter nodded and walked out of the room.

"How has your day been?" Vince asked us.

"Very good." The Gasman answered, don't you just love his name its so fun to say. "Skiing is awesome, a little hard but awesome. Our new coats are so warm, thanks for getting them for us M-Alex."

"Your welcome, Jason." Max nodded, and smiled, it looked like she was about to burst out laughing, I wonder why Max would laugh now?

"Yeah, Jason's right it was completely awesome. I mean it was narly dude." Iggy made a surfer sign with his hand.

"Surfs up?" Fnick inquired, looking at Iggy all weird, too bad Ig can't see it.

"Nick, same idea."

"Really, I thought surfing and skiing where two different things." Angel smiled innocently, she was probably deeply amused within their thoughts, and too bad I can't read peoples thoughts.

"Drop it guys, does it really matter." Max sighed, yeah like Fang and Iggy arguing is the biggest problem in her hands, but then again today is a day for fun, and to just forget about our troubles for awhile.

"Good idea, Alex." Emil smiled then turned to Vera.

"We have a serious question for you." She began.

"Since you are westerners."

"And traditionally you would open you gifts from your Santa today."

"And we would open the gifts from out Babushka on the seventh of January."

"We were wondering if you'd like Babushka to come early"

"Or Santa to come late." They bounced off each other Emil talking then Vera and so on.

"Don't worry, I know Santa isn't real already, if he was real he would of come to us at the School or at our E house." Angel said.

Vera smiled sweetly, like I always imagined a mother would smile at her babe in her arms "Of course Angela, I'm sorry. Then lets say, would you like your gifts today or on the seventh?"

"We don't need any gifts." Max looked sternly at Vera "You don't need to spend anything on us, hey having a bed every night is a gift enough, not to mention an actual closet."

"But Alex, you bought your clothes, and we are honored to offer you our hospitality. You kids deserve something more, you've missed out on so much, Angela is only six and she doesn't even believe in Santa or Babushka, we would love to give you something."

"Vera, you are already doing so much for us, we couldn't accept anything else, and we've already taken so much from you." Max persisted.

"M-Alex," Fang started "let it go, we can always pay them back." Then Fang looked at Max like he had more to say, just he wasn't going to say it…now. '

"Fine, Nick." Max threw up her hands and just then the food came.

There were mounds and mounds and mounds of food, and most of it smelled good, but some of it looked, peculiar. Look I'm not a picky eater per say, but compared to some other is the flock (cough-Fang-cough) I definitely get grossed out, and some of this stuff looked weird.

"Looks delicious, Vera." Angel said, and started to serve some to herself.

"Thanks Angela, glad you approve, eats up guys." Vera smiled, some more.

I looked at the food, and decided to eat some stuff that looked like oatmeal, and some red stuff that smelled like Canadian bacon, though I don't think it was, it was some kind of ham, Vera said it was called Balik Darnitskiy. To drink I had this orange soda stuff. In all the meal wasn't that bad, and like Gazzy was talking about how good it tasted.

"So kids, you still haven't told us when you want your gifts." Emil said after we had all eaten a little bit.

"Uh, well, its can be your choice on when you give it, after all its you gift to us, we, at least I'm not very peculiar on when we get it." Iggy said, sounding a bit uncertain, but what he said made since.

"Okay then, we'll give it to you…ah we'll sup rice you." Vera said. "And look dessert."

The waiter brought out two gintnormas trays of Chocolate. YUM!! Now this looked innocent enough, not that, that can be any judge of if its dangerous or not I mean look at Angel, but I think it would be hard for chocolate to become as twisted as a six year old mind reader, well you could poison it, but I will assume that the restaurant didn't poison out chocolate. And so I dug my face into the chocolate. Like I said YUM!!

Max and Vera paid, I don't know why Max is being so stubborn about the money but she is, and we left the restaurant to go Ice Skating. OMG!! OMG!! OMG!! Today is so fun! Like I said OMG!!

**Hope you enjoyed. This is really fun writing, this is mostly filler right now, but its fun filler later we will get down to business.**

**Uh I know that Nudge might of seemed a little annoying here, but I wrote this chapter mainly for fun, like the rest of theses fillers. THANKS.**

**PLEASE REVIEW. **


	31. Chapter 31

** So this is yet another. Isn't Christmas fun even in spring, and this was written in febuary-or march (some time before book 4) it was just FUN. THE GASMAN'S POV**

"Dude I told you not to eat that bean paste stuff." Iggy plugged his nose and waved his hand in front of his nose while we were in the car on the way to the ice skating rink.

"Sorry, but I liked it, the stuff tasted good." I shrugged, not my fault go blame the freak scientist, you know the ones who messed me up.

"Just, warn us next time." Max smiled, and patted my shoulder.

"Yeah, it wreaks more in a car." Angel opened the window.

I laughed and made a farting sound with my mouth, you know mimicking it. Everyone else looked at me and then broke out laughing.

"Not Funny." Fang gave before opening the door so we could spill out into the parking lot of the outdoor ice-skating rink.

This is going to be so awesome, I mean like we are actually having a Christmas. Isn't that awesome? I just hope there are many more, happy holidays ahead for us. You never know, with our luck we could be dieing soon, or we could be captured again by Itex. But let's not dwell on that today we are having fun, and only fun. Tomorrow I think Max is going to start planning with Emil and Vince.

"Do you know how to ice-skate?" Vera asked as she handed out the skates.

"Nope, but I think I get the idea." Iggy sat down and started lacing his on.

"Okay, then, just be sure to keep the ankles tight, and we'll be out there to help you if need be." Vera got up and hobbled over to the ice. Hobble is such a fun word to say, I think Nudge would like it.

"Let's go." Max stood up, and wobbled a little before falling back down on her butt.

"Oops." I laughed, while Fang helped Max up again.

"I don't think ice-skating my cup of tea." Max said as she tried to balance herself between Fang and the wall of the rental place. "But oh-well, it could still be fun."

We all hobbled our way out onto the ice, after a few seconds Fang was gliding evenly like a practiced hockey player. Iggy stood pretty-well balanced, one hand on the rail guiding himself around the rink. Nudge kept, trying to twirl, then spilling, then getting up and trying again.

"Hey, why can't I spin? Come on it can't be that hard, people on TV do it all the time. I mean like sure they've probably had more practice than me and all but that doesn't mean I shouldn't be able to spin! I mean come on people!" Nudge pouted before actually standing up and scooting to the wall where she worked on going forward.

Max didn't seem to like ice-skating much; she clung to the wall, pulling herself along occasionally letting go only to fall back into it. I had to do everything to keep from laughing. Max is normally invincible, how come she can't ice-skate. Angel seemed to be a natural on the ice and she skated over to me and clung to my hand and pulled me out to the middle of the ice.

In the center of the ice, Angel showed me how to balance, and move forward, and spin. I wonder how jealous Nudge will be. Oh well Angel and me had tons of fun dancing around.

"Hey, Gasman, is it safe for me to come out?" Iggy asked, from the rim of the rink.

I looked around, there were tons of people out here, sadly, I think one might run into Iggy, or Iggy might run into them. "There are a lot of people out here, but…"

"Its fine, I was just wondering." Iggy called back, as he waited behind a little girl, actually catching her fall.

"Isn't this fun Gazzy?" Angel asked me.

"Yep, it is awesome fun."

"I give it 2 Iggy radness points." Iggy called from the side. "Skiing was better."

"Agreed!" Max shrieked as she clung to the rail trying not to fall on her butt.

"I want to spin." Nudge raced over to me. "But since I can't Gazzy would like to race? I mean racing is fun, we will have to watch out for the other people but I think we will be able to go really fast if we want to."

"Defiantly. Angel do you want to race too?"

Angel nodded, and then asked "What happened to Angela?"

"Uh I think we forgot, oh well." I shrugged no big deal, no one is trying to capture us, or we aren't in school, only in some foreign country where our names might not be that bad anyways.

"On the count of three we started racing. ONE-TWO-THREE" Nudge yelled and the three of us shot out and went in a couple circles around the rink.

One my third revolution I wiped out and slid half-way across the rink. I tried with all my might to keep from screaming, actually I don't think I screamed, but I wanted to. What would Max think, if I was a baby and screamed just because I fell down? I've been beat up by Eraser's and Flyboys, falling down isn't that bad.

Fang rushed over to me, none the less and bent down on one knee, "You okay?" he asked, as he helped me up.

"I think so. But I'm tired of skating already, can we go."

"Sure."

We all skated out of the rink, got off our skates and then all piled into the car to go and sled, I think.

**Please review! People if everyone who ever read this story reviewed do you know how many reviews I'd have, if everyone who ever read any story reviewed to you know how many reviews all the storyies would have? Well A LOT! So please just press the little button, and make me feel all special and happy and review...by the way if you do review thanks for putting up with me and my crazy life, the story isn't even half-way started, someone dies, and there is almost a WW3 and they live...so you get my point, THANKS!  
**


	32. Chapter 32

**Um do I even need to say anything more? Please review for all of the chapters being posted. ANGEL'S POV**

Well after ice-skating we all went back to the palace place. Vera and Emil were going to surprise us with this big manmade sledding hill in their front yard but I being the awesome mind reader I am already know about it. So as we pull into the long drive the presence of a big white mound doesn't seem out of place. But everyone else gasps, and to be fair I clap my hands and jump up and down. Total runs across my lap to get a better look out the window.

"Anyone up for sledding?" Emil asked as we poured out of the car.

"Yes!" We all answer in unison, even Fang.

"Good, and you guys can even have you wings out, it will be completely privet, no one will see you." Vera said as we all loosened up our wings, Max has gotten so good at cutting the holes in our clothes. My dove wings slip out of my coat effortlessly, as I watch the rest of the flock do the same.

Emil nodded, and said "There are sleds at the top of the hill, have fun."

"Aren't you going to join us?" I asked.

Emil chuckled "No, I'm a bit too old." _But it will be great fun to watch you._

You know something awesome abut mind reading, you can clearly understand other peoples thought, even if they are in another language, though I don't know how that works. I also get to here the bits that people think but don't say, even though they sort-of want to.

We started to fly up to the man made hill.

"Max, well everyone, do you remember that Anastasia diary book I read back at Ella's house? Well this was the home of the royal family and Alexei, her little brother and heir to the throne, when it snowed he used to do this, but since he had this one disease where his blood would clot like to stop bleeding his mom didn't like it when he did it. So I think this is really cool that we get to do this. Did you know that it might have been Alexei that survived not Anastasia, well we will never know if anyone even survived, we just didn't find one of their remains. Its so sad, though. But I think its so cool that we get to do this. And isn't fun that this is actually a white Christmas?" Nudge educated us.

"Nice, Nudge." Max, said her hair starting to fray out of the braid, I know how much she hates that, oh well.

We were all standing on top of the hill, well Nudge named it Alexei after the Romanov heir, but it was a hill all the same. We were waiting, waiting for what I can't figure out, just that Gazzy didn't want to be the first down, Fang thought sledding might be boring if we did it normal, Max was staying back to watch us all until someone started having fun, and Iggy was just waiting for someone to make a path for him. But what was I waiting for? Good question, I was about sit on my sled and push myself down the hill (Alexei). However Fang had figured out how to make this more…interesting.

Fang stepped back and took a running start with his sled in front of him, then he flopped down on it, letting his wings whoosh out behind him. I think he let out a whoop, but if he didn't he sure was having a party in his head.

"X-treme sledding." He called up to us before flying back to the top of the hill. "Try it."

_It does look like fun, but what if someone sees us? But I don't want to stop the fun, and Vera did tell no one could see us, but how much do we trust Vera. Oh but I want to do that. _Max thought.

"Just go for it Max." I said before shoving a sled into her hands, and taking a running start myself.

As I felt the impact of the sled hit the hill, I let out a small "umf" before letting my wings snap out. The wind caught on my wings, as I raced down the hill. At the bottom I looked back at the rest of the flock who were doing the same, and then I flew back to the top. This was super fun, better than skiing, or ice-skating, or even eating out.

We continued to sled until all of us couldn't move any more.

"Ready to go in?" Max called from were she was lying on the frozen ground at the bottom of the hill.

"Yeah let's go in." Gazzy said.

"Maybe we can make and have hot chocolate." I said.

"And chocolate chip cookies, fresh from the oven." Max added "I'm still on my mission to find a cookie better than my moms."

We all left before standing up and lumbering into the palace place.

**Please review. **


	33. Chapter 33

FANG'S POV

After lumbering inside, we all cumbersomely moved upstairs to get into dry clothes, and I am planning on showering. Too much time spent grubby means when you have access to a shower you (at least if you are me) tend to over use it, same goes for dry changes of clothes.

"Need help?" I asked Gazzy who was struggling out of his coat in front of his room. He nodded and I bent down and played with the zipper until it came undone, and let the Gasman run into his room.

I slammed my door, and stripped and got into the shower. Wow, hot water, and shampoo, and conditioner-YES! And Nudge approves of "fluffy, shaggy" hair on me, how lucky? Oh and did I forget soap? How could I, I just love smelling like something the cat brought in-not.

As the water jetted down my back and wings I thought. Today is Christmas, and obviously Vera and Emil are looking forward to giving us gifts, even if they've only known us for, eh one day. Christmas spirit I guess. You know though I think I am going to sneak out and buy stuff for the flock, well it will be with Max's money, but she won't mind. That reminds me we should probably learn how to budget that, we don't want to go bankrupt. Oh and with the bought goods I have some stuff I've done by hand that I might as well toss in.

I got out of the shower and darted across the frigid room, and got dressed, in a black turtle-neck and jeans, what else…

"Fang?" Max knocked at the door.

I ran over and opened it. "Huh?"

"Well the flocks going down for hot-coco, you want to join? Or have you other plans?" Max apparently thinks something's up, but thankfully she looked over to the laptop propped up on the coffee table. Good she thinks I want to update the blog, in which I do but there are other things I have to get done while they indulge in warm chocolaty goodness.

"Go." I nodded.

"Okay, oh, and I call the computer tonight." She smiled and sprinted down the stairs with the rest of the flock.

I slipped out of my room, and into Max's to grab her debit card, then out the window, and carefully to the store. I went to ten stores, getting little things that I thought the flock might like, but that Max wouldn't freak out about.

"Fang!" I could just imagine her throwing something at me, maybe an empty box "How could you?! We can't spend MONEY on this JUNK!" I shook my head, no I am not buying junk, I am purchasing back a piece of our childhood that bastards like Jeb took away from us.

After sneaking back into my rooms, I hid the stuff under my bed and went out to find the flock. They were all sliding down the stairs going to the main entry way in laundry baskets. It looked fun.

"Hey Fang!" Angel called from the bottom as she carried her basket up to the top.

"Fang, you should try this, it is really fun. Vera said she used to so it when she was a kid, and that it was like indoor sledding and she did it in the summer when there wasn't snow outside. But it is fun in the winter too, because we are inside the season doesn't matter. You should try it…" Nudge sat there looking like she was about to push off just rambling on about stuff I don't know why she was telling me.

"Shut up! And give me a basket." Max nearly knocked me down the stairs throwing me the basket.

"Okay hot shot, let's see it." She put her arms to her hips and smirked.

I looked before I leapt, everything clear, I put the basket down so the top of it was just hanging over the top step. Then I stepping in an sat down ready for my weight to push me forward, and off the step. But something went terribly wrong, the basket was spinning out of control, zig-zagging from one end of the wide staircase to the other, spinning the whole time. And when I finally got to the bottom, it tipped over spilling me out on the hard granite floors, or maybe they were marble, I don't know but they were hard and cold.

The flock was laughing over head, as I sat up, a little sore. "See not so easy!!" Max was smiling as she ran down the stairs, "You okay?"

"Just fine." I got up and brushed off any invisible dust.

"Good, cause the we just decided that laundry basket sledding is boring, and Iggy went to go make dinner."

"So what now?" I asked as we ascended back up the stairs.

Max twisted her face, "I was thinking that maybe you could give me that precious computer and then people go find ways to occupy yourselves."

Nudge still giggling, said "Sounds good, I think I was to explore the palace more. And Max where are we are we in Moscow, or St. Petersburg, what Russian Palace is this? Cause I am confused cause there is one in Moscow, but the more known one is in Kremlin Palace in St. Petersburg. Wait did I get that backwards? I don't know. Do you know? It doesn't really matter, I was just wondering, but exploring it should be fun. Angel do you want to come too?"

Angel nodded and grabbed the Gasman's hand before running off with Nudge, to explore the palace. Good that's four out of five people out of their rooms, maybe I can keep Max out of hers, somehow suggest she use the computer somewhere else.

"Nice spill." Max said as we were walking back to my room to grab the laptop. "You know I think I am going to take a small exploration trip of my own, to find a nice small corner to…work in."

"Sounds good." I grabbed the laptop and shoved it in her hands, and yay I didn't even have to do anything.

"Thanks, and we need to talk, about the gifts." She spit the last word, like it was some kind of evil thing, ITEX maybe.

In response I just nodded and shut my door. I went and got my previous purchases from under the bed, and went to my book bag and got out the sketches and poems that have been collecting there. When I was out I also bought a calligraphy set for myself, along with the materials needed to mat my work.

I sprawled the stuff out on the floor, deciding to work on Max first. I grabbed the sketches of her, related to her, or that I think she'd like, and began to sift through them. When I found the ones I wanted, I checked them to see if they doubled as pieces of poetry, a couple of them did. After I read through them I put the ones that I wanted to give her in a stack and the rest in another stack. I opened the calligraphy kit, and read through the instructions, sounds easy enough. Laying on my stomach, work spread out one the floor I started to re-write the poems in calligraphy, and for a kid who never learned how to properly write in school I have to say I was pretty darn good. Then I quickly in short hand rewrote the poems I didn't want to give Max. And yet after that I matted the sketches, and put them in a portfolio. The portfolio was black, and I had decorated the front with her name in elaborate cold calligraphy, personally I am still amazed at how it turned out. I continued this process with the rest of the flock, until I had five small shopping bags, and five black portfolios.

Grabbing Max's stuff I slipped into her room, hoping she was still out and arranged her gifts on the foot of her bed. I took a step back and admired my work, awesome. Next I did the same thing for Nudge, Iggy, Gazzy, and Angel. This was going to be one radical Christmas, excuse me holiday season. I can't wait!

**PLEASE REVIEW! And remember my one week promise (I will tell you if there is any reason I can't…like Andros, or technical problems) PLEASE REVIEW. **

**also for purposes of my own demise, I will say someone who hasn't reviewed this chapter yet (sorry Melissa) must before I post the next one which by the way is ready! Thanks Roo for your quick work-your awesome!**


	34. Chapter 34

After being practically shoved out of Fang's room, but with laptop in hand, I left to go wander the palace grounds, hoping to find some place peaceful to check e-mail, and do some research before I go into the equivalent of a war meeting tomorrow

**So as promised I got a review on the last chapter so here is the next. Uh what's to say? Other than enjoy!**

After being practically _shoved_ out of Fang's room, but with laptop in hand, I left to go wander the palace grounds, hoping to find some place peaceful to check e-mail, and do some research before I go into the equivalent of a war meeting tomorrow. I found myself a quiet corner, a small sitting lounge with a big red love couch. I curled up, and flipped the laptop open.

Signing onto my e-mail, I saw I had four messages. I went to the oldest one.

_From: ELLA_

_Date: Dec. 21_

_Subject: Consider this a Warning_

_Hey Max, I miss you already, weird right? I mean I've lived all my life without even knowing you existed, and now, now it feels so weird and empty without you around. Mom wants to take a trip to Spain, but Uncle Hose (my nickname for him-easier to type) said it would be best if we stayed here, we have a better handle on Jeb. Whatever that means, I don't even know the dude, I just know he's a jerk, and I HATE him. I'd love to know where you ran off to but chances are for your safety (and ours I guess) you provably won't tell me, will you? _

_Oh well, as for the SUBJECT. I just want to warn you the Hose said they are letting Jeb contact you via e-mail since he has been cooperating, and maybe he'll give you info you need, or wouldn't tell the Chile people about. I don't know you think he'd tell the truth? I just thought you'd want to know before, well before he got to you. Just nice to have a warning._

_Love you, and the flock-IGGY!!_

_Bub-Bye._

_Ella. _

I nodded my head, biting my lip to keep from laughing out loud with that last line. I pressed reply, partially to be polite, but manly to procrastinate from opening Jeb's.

_Yo, Ella, thanks for the warning. You are dead right that I want a warning if Jeb is trying to contact me, but you know what's puzzling. Wait first I know this will totally sound insane, but everything in my life technically is, so… Jeb can talk to me in my head, via telepathy, why isn't he doing it now if he wants to contact me? Do you think he's learned some respect? What am I saying that's impossible he's more than a jerk, jerks can be cute, he's a bastard. Sorry thanks for the warning. And you are also dead on that my lips are sealed about where we are. But I will tell you we are having a bunch of fun, well at least today! You know its Christmas right? Well we are having not only our first Christmas but the best Christmas ever! _

_And Girl-IGGY is my bro, and totally gross, what is with you?! But then again you haven't lived with him 24/7 your whole life._

_U&A_

_Max_

I pressed send. Time for the dreaded JEB…

_From: Jeb_

_Date: Dec. 21_

_Subject: Sorry Sweetheart._

_Max-I am so sorry you must understand. But with all you have sacrificed for the world, I can sacrifice my freedom for it. Take down Itex, start from the sky up, and never give up. Know I am sorry, and you don't understand what happened, if it is any condolence Fang had a father, a very respectable father. I love you sweetie, save the world._

Sick! I pressed delete. Then went to the next one, Ella. I couldn't help but grin…

_From: Ella_

_Date: Dec. 22_

_Subject: You OK?_

_Hi-ya Max. How was Jeb? You okay? I don't mean to be nosey, like Hose, he's like bugging me to needle you for info, or to fw. The message to them, why can they just of intercepted the e-mail?? Oh well I don't care. You OK? Let me know. _

_With Much Love-_

_Ella_

_Your SISSIE sis._

I pressed reply…

_Hey Els. He wasn't that bad, just uh SICK is I think is how I'd described it. Let Hose know there wasn't anything in is but Sorry, Fang has a father, and save the world. Same ole' same ole'. I wish we could be back home, but where we are, its kind of like home, beds, hot water, food, you know all the basics, plus it is HUGE, and the people are nice. Don't ask, I won't answer, but yes there are people, people we trust. LOVE YOU and MISS YOU. So much. Give my regards to mom._

_Max-amillion_

The next e-mail was from Mom, and was sent earlier today.

_From: Mom_

_Date: Dec. 25_

_Subject: It's that time of year again._

_Max, I love you so much, and hope you are safe and warm for the holidays, you guys need a real break. I was so looking forward to spending them with you, but since we couldn't when you get back. I don't have much more to say, just know you're in our heart. Happy Holidays._

_MOM_

_oxoxoxoxox_

I did a quick simple short reply to mom before deciding it was probably time to hunt down the rest of the flock to eat. That might not be an easy task considering the size of the palace.

"FANG! NUDGE! GAZZY! ANGEL! Chou time." Hey I had to start somewhere. Finally about ten minutes later I found three of them, and Fang in his room. Together we walked toward the dining room, the smell of food, lots of food hitting us.

"Smells good." Gazzy drooled.

"It sure does." I nodded and we all went in to sit down.

I could give you the whole façade of us actually eating a monstrous amount, but that is so getting old and boring so let's leave it at this. The food was really good.

After dinner we all followed Vera and Emil into the entertainment room, which was pretty much a dim yellow room with a tv and three couches. Why a couple has three couches in one room, I don't know. Maybe for entertaining? Anyways they didn't happen to have English tv channels or anything, but for some unknown reason they had a large selection of dvd's that could be set on 'English' or have English subtitles. So we ended up watching Aladdin in Russian, with English subtitles for the next two hours.

Then came a wonderful, not so wonderful surprise. A Christmas tree, with boxes addressed to the Flock underneath if. Truthfully I don't know how we didn't notice it when we first came in.

"Happy Christmas!" Vera smiled, "We decided to follow your tradition."

"Uh, you really didn't have to do this." I said, trying to be polite and not explode on her. Look I am happy that we are actually really celebrating a holiday for once, and that the flock might be getting gifts, but we are invading their home, I don't want to eat them out of it.

"But we wanted to." Emil walked over and picked up a small box in red wrapping paper. "Max."

"I'm honored, but I'll open last." Since I am apparently forced to accept, then again think about what this could mean for the kids, presents!

"Are you sure Max?" Gazzy looked at me then eyed the presents.

"I'm sure."

"Thank you Max." Angel said before running over to the tree and finding a gift addressed to her, tossing everyone else's to them.

Nudge tearing open her wrapping paper with venom she revealed a purple plated camcorder.

"Max, this is so cool! I know like we will have to be super careful with it, but it will be so fun to make videos of us flying, and maybe we could make something for YouTube®… Thank you so much!"

"Your welcome." Vera smiled.

Gazzy grabbed the next one, after pulverizing the wrapping he was hugging a finger printing kit, just what we need, find out which Flyboy stole the golden vase of our childhood. No really I think its pretty cool, but it would be like way cooler if I knew he wouldn't be loosing it or leaving it anytime soon.

"Thank You!" he said smiling.

"Glad you like it." Emil said.

Angel who was now sitting cross legged in front of all of us carefully unwrapped her gift. When she was completely done, she had a whole piece of wrapping paper laid out in front of her.

"Oh thank you so much." Angel jumped up and hugged both Emil and Vera before returning to her gift, which was a butterscotch colored bear with little blue eyes.

"Angel, it's so cute." I said, looking at the bear, maybe this is a really good thing; Angel had lost Celeste awhile back. "What are you going to name her?"

"Him, and Sebastian."

Fang looked at me unsurely, then grabbed a gift for him. I didn't actually see him take of the gift wrap, it was kind of one fell swoop. But I did see the box of a super cool looking MP3. No it wasn't actually an iPod but it was one that looked way cooler from Samsung.

"Thanks." He said coolly, before tossing Iggy his gift.

It was funny watching Iggy open it, he just took his hands and started tearing at it. After a few minutes a little silver watch was sitting is his lap. He picked it up and ran his fingers over the service. After a few minutes he said "Thanks, for the thought, but its not much use for me, Max or Fang can have."

"Oh, Iggy it talks." Emil pointed out "Just press the upper right button."

Iggy did so, and his face lit up as the watch said '8:45' in a metallic voice.

"We even made sure it was in English." Vera said.

"Thank you so much, I love it!" Iggy was still beaming as he slipped it on.

"You're left Max." Fang shoved my gift in my hand.

I looked down at it, a little mesmerized, let's get it over with. I tore off the paper and looked down at an mp3 player pretty much identical to Fang's except instead of being black, mine was a blue that reminded me of the ocean.

"Thank you. You do know you didn't have to do this and we can pay you back, don't you?"

"Yes, Max we wanted to." Vera smiled.

"Its getting late I'm going to retire." Emil got up and stretched. "Good night." And he walked out.

"If you guys don't mind I think Emil has the right idea." Vera left and we just sat there stunned a few minutes.

"That was fun." Nudge managed to say, as she stood up and made her was up stairs.

"That was." I agreed as I and the rest of the flock fallowed her.

I walked in my room and got ready for bed, taking advantage of running water to brush my teeth. It actually amazes me we still have any, but then again I suppose that's a plus of growing up under the care of scientist that don't want any extra variables that could through off there research. Then I notice something at the bottom of my bed, and heard something move behind me, immediately I took fighting stance.

**Okay so see if you know whats about to happen, is it bad or good? Or is Max just paranoid? Anything is possible, and haha you don't know what I will do-though hopefully its pretty obvious (cough--cough). So I must thanks mac 0 and FreeFaller0426 for reviewing, and you should thank them too, because now you are reading this chapter. Tell me what you think, and please review! **


	35. Chapter 35

**Yo people I'm back from my little trip out of country, well I was back about a week ago, but do you know how busy that week was? Lets just say last week of school crap, celebrating stuff (summer, birthdays, etc.), and visiting one of my friends I haven't seen since 5****th**** grade but is to this day the only person I will ever willingly talk to on the phone so even though many years have passed we are still tight. You don't care do you? Og cource not, anyways sorry this is a week late. **

**Disclaimer- JP wrote the excellent first three books of Maximum Ride, of which this story is written in honor of!**

Slowly I turned around, only to see Fang grinning.

"What?" he shrugged and walked towards me.

"Dude, ever heard of knocking before entering?" I turned back toward my bed where I had seen the lump.

It turns out that the lump was a large maroon gift bag, with blue tissue paper sticking out the top. Underneath the bag was a black folder with my name carefully scrolled out on the front in gold ink. I pick up the folder and open it.

A picture of me, hair falling in front of my left eye, head cocked upward, and smiles up at me. I sort through the other contents of the folder. There were more pictures of course. I mean this is Fang here, all of his free time (watches mainly) is spent blogging, sketching, or poeting - excuse me that's writing poetry. There was one of my mom, hair pulled back, sleeves pushed up and a determined look on her face, but still a smile. A perfect summary of her, I'd say. There was also one of the Gasman and Angel, it was a view from their back, one of each of their wings was spread out and in perfect detail.

Then there were the poems…

Hurt in a World made for Hunters

Emerging from her cocoon

Chewed on by the bird

She cries

She withdraws behind her mask

The mask that keeps her safe

The sweet safety that is not real

Life is not fair

The world is not nice

But when one tries to live

She is told not to

By the ones who gave her strength

No she does not cry

Because she is her

And her is always stronger than she.

…and of course he added 'my poem' the one he whispered in my ear that time in the park in Chile.

Just as I was about to look into the bag, and find out what exactly Fang had put in there and gage how I should react to this whole fiasco of his, I heard a scream from Iggy.

"Fang, you JERK! Get in here, if you think this is funny, okay if any of you think this is funny. If I'm yelling at the wrong person…get in here!"

I dropped what I was doing shot a worried glance at Fang and darted towards Iggy's room. Lets see what the drama is, or help ward off a clan of Flyboys. Whichever.

"What? What's wrong?" I was scanning Iggy's room, looking for the cause of the outburst.

"Is this supposed to be some kind of joke?" Iggy said threw clenched teeth, before throwing some papers at me.

I looked at the papers, they turned out to be more sketches, ones of Iggy, a few awesome detailed eyes. There was even one of Ella she was in standing there a look of pure innocence on her face, she was wearing cargo shorts and a t-shirt in the picture but her knees were dirty. On one side of her were trees and mountains, the prefect scenic view, on the other was a cliff dropping off into a rocky canyon, and the blaze of a wild fire in the background. All the pictures were breathtaking Fang had obviously spent time on it. Oh, and this is Fang we are talking about right? So you guessed it there were also a couple poems…

**Questions For All**

In many ways humans are perfect.

In many ways they are not.

In some ways we reek havoc.

In some ways we mend disaster.

No one can be perfect,

Because perfection it self is a flaw.

If only people saw that,

Then we would be content.

Humans can be perfect,

Humans can make mistakes.

Humans may cause disaster,

Humans may fix what has gone wrong.

If only this were true,

If only we would listen,

If Only no one lied,

If only peace were real,

If only hope brought everything.

Hope is the cause of disappointment,

And disappointment the cause of hate,

And hate the cause of war,

And war the cause of despair,

But with out hope would we be human,

With out hope, would tomorrow be worth the wait,

With out hope would we want perfection?

With out hope would we want peace?

With out hope would anything be plausible.

See there are two sides to every problem,

As there are two sides to every being,

As there are two sides to everything,

There is a good side of hope,

And there is the bad.

The question lies were you look at it.

Do you want to sit there wishing the best,

Or take action against the worse,

Do you want to lay helpless, waiting for safety,

Or protect against the none existent danger.

Do you want to be optimistic and be disappointed?

Or Pessimistic and thankful?

It all lies in how you look at it.

It is apparent that the world cannot work with out hope,

But it has not become apparent what hope is.

But what does it matter,

Hope is what lies within every spirit,

What make us human.

Everything will work out in the end.

Time will not run out without fulfilling age old promises,

But you may close your eyes at before then,

And ignore all of the good,

For that is how hope is last.

Humans can be perfect,

Humans can make mistakes.

Humans may cause disaster,

Humans may fix what has gone wrong.

No one can be perfect,

Because perfection it self is a flaw.

If only people saw that,

Then we would be content.

In many ways humans are perfect.

In many ways they are not.

In some ways we reek havoc.

In some ways we mend disaster.

…and I could see why Iggy was upset.

"Dude, Fang didn't mean to, he probably just forgot. Right?" I shot a crippling glare at Fang who had managed to slip into the room silently.

"Yeah."

"Ig, come on we all forget sometimes. You should take it as a compliment, Ig it means you are like just as adapted as the rest of us. And you can't even see, you know how special that is?"

"Sure it's special," Iggy spat "but do you know how fucking hard I have to work at it? No matter how much _I _just want to forget, _I_ can't. No matter what I do, no matter how well I adapt, my sightlessness is always just thrown back in _my_ face. So, sure it's special."

"Ig, dude I'm sorry, I didn't mean to like hurt you. I wasn't thinking seriously." Fang walked over to Iggy and put his hand on his shoulder, only to have it brushed off.

"Hey, did you open the bag yet?" I tried to steer Iggy away from the party of self pity he was working up.

"Yeah dude, I was a complete moron about the folder but you'll like what's in the bag."

"Fine, but can you like just leave me alone, now?" Iggy had seemed to of calmed down and I nodded to Fang that it was probably a good idea to leave.

The rest of the flock had gathered at the door, to see what wrong, and probably to help fight off that clan of Flyboys I was talking about, if needed. So I shooed them away.

Returning to my room, Fang close by me heels, I turned my attention back to my gift after saying. "You were a total and complete moronic fooled jerk."

"Thanks." Fang bowed his head and I opened my bag.

A brand new pair of brown Converse were staring up at me. The toe a bleached white, the eyelets startlingly shiny. Brand new. Without thinking I threw my arms around Fang, but quickly withdrew.

"Thanks." I smiled and glanced at my 'old' pair that were sticking out from under the bed (I'm a bare foot gal) - they were falling apart, and were literally held to my foot by duck tape.

"Your welcome." Fang was beginning to grin, it wasn't a full out grin, but it was a baby grin, a little tiny flicker.

"What?"

"I was going to get you Vans but I figured they wouldn't be so practical the next time the refrigerator malfunctions."

Oh so true. Wait, what the heck are Vans? Does it really matter? Nope, what mattered was Fang had just gotten me the perfect gift! They were Converse - light, but steady. Unlike ballet slippers you could count on chucks to stay on your feet and pack a punch when ever you decide to kick someone or something. Yet the All Stars did not weigh us down like, say combat boot or half the other gym shoes they make. Have you tried to fly with them? No? Well it's not an easy task.

"Thanks."

"It's late."

"Yep."

"I should probably go."

"Probably." There was and awkward silence. "Oh and talk to Ig, will you?"

"Yeah."

"There are two things you should know about the wise women; one she is a women, and two she is wise." I don't know where I picked this up, but it seemed appropriate for tonight.

"Uh, thanks?"

I arched my eyebrows before pushing Fang out the door. "Get."

And now its time to sleep, even if I have the sudden urge to dance around like a ballerina. Well maybe not a ballerina, but a highlands dancer might work, they aren't too girly right?

**Alright people! Thanks for reading and please review.**

**Schedule for updates (like the weeks of the week promise thingy.)**

**June 11-21 (tomorrow till next Saturday)-sorry I'm stuck, on this**

**June 22-28**

**June 28-July 5 THIS WILL GET 2 UPDATES since it is like the changing of a month**

**July 6-12**

**Again there might be two a weeks-but I promise that before July 12 you will have 5 updates and they will not all be at the same time on the last day. I know that sucks. **

**Oh and if its any condolence for this chapters tardiness I have 5732 spans in my spam box. **

**Sorry for one piece of Language in this chapter if that offended anyone.**

**Long Authors note, I will now temporarily disappear. A.S Lee**


	36. Chapter 36

**Well there, hi-I really like this chapter. It originally had some kinks, but with the help of Roo (my amazing Beta-and thank you so much if you are reading this) they've been worked out. People the fun is over the Flock is getting back to business! And hey maybe I'll have time to give you two chapters this week! That would be awesome!**

* * *

I tossed and turned and look up at the ceiling for the 7th time tonight. I just simply couldn't sleep something just didn't feel right, something was keeping my mind from rest.

Maybe it was just me pitying Iggy, because of his earlier outburst. Or maybe we were being too quick to trust Vera and Emil and it was getting under my skin. That would make sense, like looking back adults for the most part cause nothing but trouble for us, and although the rules have been bent before, does that mean they will be bent now? How do I know I won't wake in a dog crate? Okay yeah well maybe that's being a little paranoid - but only a little.

At this point all I really wanted was sleep. Can't my conscience decide to bug me in the morning when I'm in the mood to think? No, of course not, that would just be _too_ easy, _too_ painless. So there I was, lying awake. At least I was in a bed.

Just playing with the possibility that I was being paranoid about the position we were in (which is very likely) what did I think was going to happen? Today was awesome, how could I doubt these people? _I don't know, _okay, and I _can't_ think straight obviously…

"Max, you awake?" Angel's voice came from my behind my door.

"Uh-huh."

Angel walked in with circles under her eyes. "I can't sleep either, neither can Nudge or the boys."

"Great." So, it's not just me and my paranoia. Maybe we like have Jet-Lag, that happens sometimes, when you travel half-way around the world. So see, it's simple. Jet-Lag.

"Fang's thinking we should all talk, about like what we want to say tomorrow. And he's thinking about you." I rolled my eyes.

"Angel, how do you think Fang feels about you prodding in his head?" I had pushed myself into a sitting position.

"Um, do I have to answer that?"

I laughed "No, but just don't do it, alright?"

"Okay."

"You said everyone was up?"

"Yep, well Iggy's trying to convince himself this is just a bad dream, but he's conscious."

"Angel." And I wonder how she knows that, I really shouldn't complain, her mind reading can come in handy sometimes, but it's also a pain. "Let's get everyone together, Fang's room in five."

Angel nodded and went to get Nudge and Gazzy, I went to get Iggy, and we'd surprise Fang.

In about five minutes we were all sitting in the living room like part of Fang's room, with Fang looking very pissed about being disturbed by his flock in the middle of the night, and he kept shooting death stares at Angel. Maybe that will teach her and her morals? Unlikely.

"So, who can guess why we're here at some crazy time in the night?" I started, giving a little yawn.

"To prepare for tomorrow." Gazzy smiled, proud of himself that he knew the answer.

"Yep." I let out another yawn. "How do we want to prepare for tomorrow? I was thinking just saying everything we know, everything we need to do, and everything we need…help…with."

"Sounds like a plan." Fang was beginning to relax a little.

"So we know that Itex is based in China, Antarctica, and outer space. What do we think they are doing in those places?" We have to start _somewhere_.

"Well, China is like a really big country - with like the most people in it, so if they still are trying to cut the population in half that sounds like a good place to start."

Nudge stuck up one finger. "And then there is Antarctica, well don't they have like a lot of science places, like research hubs, and didn't Jeb say something like that was where everyone who was 'acceptable' was going to be kept?"

Nudge stuck up a second finger "And outer space they could like drop a bomb, a big bomb on the earth and kill everyone that wasn't 'acceptable' and stored in Antarctica."

Nudge stuck up a third finger. "So they are in China, to start sorting through the population, they like might use their army or something to get into other countries - cause don't they like have a really big one. Then whoever they like and want to keep is sent down to Antarctica. In Antarctica they might have like test and needles and stuff to like mutate the people who they like - maybe. Then from outer space they like drop a really big bomb to destroy all humanity that aren't safely stored away in Antarctica." Nudge repeated, then crossed her arms and smiled.

"Yeah that sounds like what we know. I wish there was some other way we could get info, do research."

Fang grabbed his laptop that was sitting on the coffee table. "Maybe…" he murmured before typing away. A few minutes later Fang turned the screen toward us, there was a picture of China with thousands of little red dots scattered all over it. "These are all of the Itex factories in China." He clicked something and then a map of the world came up with little red dots all over "These are all the Itex factories. About one third of the world's adult population, maybe more, works for Itex in these factories; do they play a role in this? Do we need to destroy all of those factories to destroy Itex? Do we really want to make all of these people unemployed? Crashing the economy would be an apocalypse of its own." I was dumbfounded for a second. Too many word in a row from Fang, but he had a point, the same point Ella had.

"Yeah, maybe that's one way Russia can help us." I nodded.

"I think we should like get the media onto our saving the world gig." Iggy said.

"No way, we are not going on camera. We need to stay incognito, if not from Itex from people in the government. Do you want to be locked in a school like facility or owned by some country or told like we had to be in a foster system with stuck up parents or…"

"We get it." Nudge let out a sigh "But Ig's right the world needs to know what's happening or it doesn't make much difference. Like Germany, two months later and beside the point everyone is still alive we haven't made much of a difference."

"Max, why do we have to save the world if we will never be able to fit in the world?" Angel asked.

"Angel! You don't want to kill the world do you? Plus, we wouldn't live after Itex takes control, and they want to kill us, remember? Life, even if it sucks a lot sometimes, is worth fighting for. When your dead that is the end, there is nothing more." What was Angel saying! I know her morals are twisted, but she wants to…no, she doesn't want that she's just curious. "Look Angel, I know the world isn't always the nicest to us, but that's mostly because sick, mad scientists made it that way, we don't want them to ruin other people's lives do we? It will be better when Itex is out of the way, I promise."

"Oh." Angel looked down at the floor, like she was super ashamed.

"So, we need to ask for help making a safety net for the economy, what else?" Iggy asked.

"Well, we need to take care of that bomb in outer space. And we need to destroy Itex - for good." I crinkled my nose, was this possible?

"Maybe, Russia can send Iggy and me up in outer space, and we disable the bomb. While you four are destroying Itex down here." Gazzy suggested.

"I don't like the idea of splitting up, but I do trust you two more than some bomb tech."

I scrunched my face up, this was hard, and worse this was the middle of the night.

"I know, but we might need to split up." Fang said. "Someone would need to go down to Antarctica and kick their butt down there."

"And someone would need to be up here taking care of China." Nudge finished for Fang.

"I know," I said, "I just really don't like the idea of splitting up. Space is dangerous, and what if someone doesn't make it through?"

"Max, it's only an idea." Iggy reminded me.

I rolled my eyes. "Again I know, but right now it seems like the only idea we have. Especially with all this limited information."

"Maybe we could send some Russian people down to Antarctica and only split with Gazzy and Iggy." Angel tried to smile.

"Sure, but can we really trust them to take care of this for us?"

"No." the flock said in unison.

"Shit." I murmured under my breath.

"Max?" Fang asked, with a baby grin on his face.

"Sorry." I rolled my eyes. "It looks like that's our plan. Two in space, two in Antarctica, and two in China. We need the Russian government to help us make an economy net - so we don't cause a world wide great depression taking away the main source of employment and household items, and maybe dare I say publicity."

The flock nodded, and then without saying anything more we all stacked our fists for the second time tonight, and went back to bed. And I dare say we slept.

**Thank you for reading-and I so totally hope you will take at least two seconds to review and tell me what you really think!**

**THANK YOU!**

_Hey if you review I might throw you a bone, about what might be coming up-if you want!_


	37. Chapter 37

**So here are your choices**

**a) I give you a long boring explanation as to why this is a week, late, and this weeks will be skipped**

**b) I say I'm super sorry, you say oh okay just don't do it again, I say promise, you read, you review, and then we get to the shocking part where the ink stains-(I can explain that if you want)**

**c) other-just you better review and tell me what this is.**

** I choose B so, here we are I AM SORRY please FORGIVE me I beg you-see I'm down on my knees, begging!! PLEASE, I am SOOOO SORRY.**

**enjoy...**

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"Morning Max!" Angel exclaimed excitedly as I sat at the table groggily, but freshly showered.

"Hi, Ange."

Today we were going to meet with Emil and Vince, just to lay out a plan, share info, you know, the basic 'how are we going to save the world?' stuff. I was actually incredibly nervous about this.

"Nudge, is that coffee?" I asked wearily, she had just sat down with a plate piled high with food and a full-to-the-brim mug.

"Yup!"

My eyebrows rose.

She hurriedly added "Its decaf Max, I checked."

"Oh." One crisis averted already.

Soon we all packed into a conference room with Vera, Emil and Vince. There was a huge Victorian style meeting table, and we were all grouped at the far end closest to windows, with the snow swirling around wickedly outside.

"Is there anything else you guys want to know about us?" I asked, I needed somewhere to start, especially since I was incredibly jittery today, I think it had something to do with the cold.

"No." everyone shook their head.

"Okay good. I guess we should probably tell you how we got to _Russia _of all places." I took a breath. "Okay, so after Germany we settled down at my Mom's house. Then flyboys came and ruined everything _again_. So we ran to Chile, where things really started to happen. We formed an alliance with their government; I hope that doesn't bother you… Then we lived with my mom's sister, and her family-and Mom and Ella came down to join us. While we were staying there Jeb found us, and some unpleasant stuff happened." I let Fang take over.

"One day Jeb wanted to talk to me about how I was bad for the flock. And he tried to kill me; apparently he was upset I killed my mother - Anne Walker, on accident and to preserve my own life." Fang's hands balled up and he sighed closing his eyes.

"Just I heard Fang scream, and ran in to see what's wrong."

"Max, ran in front of me stopping Jeb from…hitting…me."

"Instead he cut me from my shoulder down to my hip." I traced the line were my scar was, then lifted my shirt slightly, showing the bottom bit of the scare. "So I was in a hospital for a bit, then when I was still recovering flyboys came, and we were on the run again. When Jeb cut me he was put in Chile's jail, and 'the Max' card bank account was abstracted from his possession, and all the money was put on a new debit card in my name. So we are now total billionaires, so please don't feel bad about us buying our own stuff. Oh and right, my uncle is a total big name in Chile, they are helping as much as possible. From Chile we took a short tour of some islands off the coast of South America, and then randomly decided to come here, where we met you."

Everyone just nodded. "So what do you need help with?" Vince asked ready to get down to business.

"Well, we need to borrow a spaceship, to get to Itex's satellite bomb, we need transportation to Antarctica, and we need back up in China." Right, that's our plan, split up.

"Borrow a spaceship? Are you crazy?" Vince sounded upset.

"Yeah we probably are." Iggy admitted but then added "But completely sane at mind, I assure you."

"Well, can you tell us why you need a spaceship?" Vera asked, she sounded hesitant.

"Yeah, because Itex has a big bomb somewhere in outer space, that Iggy and Gazzy need to get to disable. Yes we can fly, but we can't fly THAT far, plus the air would probably be too thin and stuff. Anyways this might explain why Itex used your space program."

"You are American right?" Vince asked.

I shrugged, "Probably-we think we were born in Death Valley, California, but really there's no way to know, we might have been born in Germany or Croatia, or Iran or…" I stopped. "We really aren't citizens of anywhere, as far as America is concerned, the government isn't really sure we are real." I think that made sense.

"Okay, then you grew up in America right, you are used to their customs, and you know their language. Why don't you just go to NASA?"

"Because we don't trust the American government, because when we did trust them we ended up living with another mad scientist. And because we are here." Fang sounded upset, I knew he hated our time at Anne's, and I knew that he felt super guilty about killing her, and I knew he blamed the US for her (just because she said she was FBI).

I knew he blamed the US for not stopping the school (not that is was just only them, there was Germany, that one Island in South America, China, here, pretty much every country in the whole wide-world).

So I can understand where the passion in his voice was coming from, but Vera and Emil looked a bit startled, Vince looked proud.

Why did Vince look proud? Okay I admit this is a bit off topic, and a total guess but I think it is because since the 'race to moon', the Russian and American Space programs have been rivals wanting to be the biggest and the best, and since Vince is prime minister he has some control over Russia's space program.

We were saying we trusted him more that the country we were familiar with (you could say born in, citizens of, but I'm not so sure how true that is) so of course he would be proud.

"Okay, I see what I can arrange." Vince was still smiling like an idiot, and I was surprised how easy that was.

"What else did you say you needed?" Emil asked, ready to get down and dirty with business.

"We need transportation to Antarctica, and back up in China." I paused, waiting for a reaction, but there wasn't one. "We think that their base is in China, kind of like a bigger Germany, where they are manufacturing Flyboys, and maybe starting to sort through the population deciding who is good enough to stay alive when they bomb earth via the satellite that Gazzy and Iggy are going to disable. The people who they see fit to live, on their new and improved Earth, will be sent to Antarctica for safety and God knows what."

Angel chipped in. "We think they might mutate the people who they send to Antarctica, to make them, stronger, or smarter, or give them wings, or…well they can do a lot. And, they might also kill people for experimenting."

"So we need to shut down what ever they are doing down there. So we need to get there, and again, even though we can fly, it's a long distance. We can probably get to South Africa by ourselves, because we'll have land to rest on, that's at least a 10 day flight, at our fastest. From there we will need help. We also need back up. It would be nice in Antarctica, but not necessary, and it is most definitely needed in China. Who knows what we will deal with there."

"You got it." Are these people crazier than us? Apparently, they aren't even questioning our judgments. That is something, big hat gov. people listening (without question) to a bunch of kids.

"Really?" Fang asked skeptically.

Angel answered for them. "They are sure. They like living, and they have guessed we and you Max aren't the kind of person to pick a fight with."

"Thanks." I mumbled, before shaking my head at Angel.

The rest of the meeting was planning timing, and budget, and training (I am NOT sending Gazzy or Iggy into space without some sort of astronomical training). Pretty boring stuff, but it will be worth it.

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**So... I know this chapter was kind of boring and what you would expect, but I need to get through the planning parts to where they start kicking ass, and eat those bones I dropped, to those of you who asked (if you want that offers still up, due to my repeditive tardiness)'**

PLEASE REVIEW, and tell me how I can pay you back for my lateness.


	38. Chapter 38

**Hi-please review thanks.**

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After the meeting was over, we all were itching to move around. We couldn't go flying because it was literally a blizzard outside, so we asked permission to play tag in one of the huge ball rooms. Of course Vera, Emil, and Vince all said yes. So now we were playing tag. It felt good to be moving, burning some energy, and hopefully stop jittering. All day I've either been tapping my leg, bouncing, or twiddling my fingers, I couldn't stay still. Which is super annoying.

"I can't wait to go into outer space!" Gazzy exclaimed, right after I tagged him.

"I know." I responded, before running away. "Just be safe up there."

"I will." Gazzy yelled over to me as he chased Iggy, who was amazingly good at tag, especially since he couldn't see.

"Yeah, I know you will, because I don't feel like getting fried." Ig joked, before veering left, narrowly avoiding the Gasman's extended arm. Good, that means he'll be at least halfway responsible.

"So, who goes where?" Fang asked me from the sidelines where he was leaning against the wall.

"I was thinking I want to be with you Fang." Nudge started her babble. "Because of that one time at Lake Mead, when we were waiting for Max to catch up - that was super fun. Well not fun, fun, like this, but it was enjoyable to be with you." Nudged paused a second, realized Gazzy had turned his attention to her started running then continued her rant. "Okay, that sounded wrong. Oo I so don't love you like that, I do love you but like a brother, like I love Gazzy and Iggy. Anyways, I just liked talking to you, even if I did most of the talking. Plus I think Max will want to be with Angel, I don't know why, but I just think that they need some one on one time, and what's better one on one than saving the world together?"

"Got You!" Gazzy yelled excitedly at Nudge, who turned towards Fang.

"Okay, I'll go with Nudge." He said before he started to sprint away from her. "Just remind me to pack duck tape."

"I'll get you for that!" Nudge screeched. "Fang, I will _not_ let you duck tape my mouth! That would _hurt_!!" Nudge pushed herself a little faster, before veering toward me, and catching me by surprise.

And I was it again. I looked at my flock, who should my prey be? Fang was leaning on a wall again. Iggy was standing in the middle of the room, ready to run, but calm and concentrated. Angel, running circles around Total trying to convince him join in the game. Nudge was running away from me, while Gazzy was watching me waiting. Who should my prey be…?

I ran towards Angel. "So Fang do you want to take Antarctica or China?" I asked as I watched Angel carefully plan her course, zig-zagging around the room trying to get me closer to the other flock members.

"Don't care." For the reference that is a two word response-in a very monotonic voice.

I thought about where I wanted to go before, switching my target to Iggy, who caught on quick and started running away from me.

"Would you mind if I go to Antarctica? I want to find out what they are doing down there, something tells me it's not pretty and well I want to deal with any experiments first hand." I tagged Ig.

"I like China." was Fang's response.

"Good, cause that's where you are going now."

"Okay."

The game had kind of come to a stop. "Are we still playing or what?" Ig asked.

"I don't know." Gazzy looked thoughtful.

"Well I think its dinner time." What happed to lunch? You ask, well we ate during the meeting, which was an all day affair.

"I think you are right." Iggy started to walk towards the door. "It should be ready about now."

So we raced down stairs to the dinning room, where the food was being laid out, perfect timing. We just dug in like wild animals, not even waiting for Vera and Emil who were came only minutes later.

After dinner we just hung out. Nudge convinced us to play board games, so we just sat around in the entertainment room. After loosing at Clue about 5 times I decided Maximum Ride, doesn't like loosing - naturally.

"Guys, can we do something else? Please." I pouted towards Nudge who was weighing Monopoly and Scrabble in her hands. "No more board games."

"Yeah-I think they have the word BORED in them for a reason - they are_ boring_." At least I had Iggy on my side.

Nudge put down the games she was holding. "Fine, but then what should we do?"

"Go for a fly."

I stared lasers at Fang. "Sorry, not happening. I like my flock in one piece."

"But Max, it's not that bad outside, it's only snowing."

"And what did we learn in Colorado about snow, way back when? Hmmm, that it could freeze onto our wings rendering them useless." I said just quickly enough to stop everyone at the door.

"What do we do then?" Gazzy asked, playing with his foot.

"Maybe we should talk about getting help with the media? I mean I thought we also needed to talk about the economy and all today. We only talked about where we were going and how to get there, not what to do while we are there. And probably before we get there. Max, I seriously think we need to publicize this." Nudge said.

"No we are not getting into the news, then how are we supposed to stay…"

"We could go in disguise." Fang interrupted.

"Wearing head to toe clothing, and like ski masks or something, only letting our eyes, and wings show. That would work, wouldn't it??" Nudge was bouncing.

"Fine. Go find Emil, and tell him that you found more that needs _talking_ about Fang." I clenched my jaw, scrunched my eyebrows, said "I am going to bed" and defiantly walked out.

And I thought the meeting was over. Can we finish all this planning already I am rearing to kick Itex butt. Ready to get off my bum, ready to get this over with. Ready to save the world already…again.

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**Obviously I'm not very good at keeping my promises, and I'd like to say sorry. But truthfully I think that I've become to serious about this, making it less fun…making it hard to make myself write. So…I will update when I have something to give you, beg you to review, hope you read AND not care if I take three months to update. This is a promise I can keep. **

**Thanks-pwease review.**


	39. Chapter 39

**So here is the next chapter-and quickly too. Sorry if the political part of this is confusing, I am trying to untangle the government that is Russia. I have a feeling my version is pretty ficticious, but I am trying my best. **

**Enjoy-and for the record I don't own Maximum Ride, or Russia, I do own Emil, Vera, Vince, and the Isaak guy-so YAY ME!!  
**

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Fang had told Emil that we needed to talk to him more, so we had to buckle down for another all-day bore-fest meeting. This time around I wasn't so nervous, just a bit antsy - and not even for related reasons. Alright well part of the reason I was antsy was related, but part wasn't, isn't, and hopefully never will be.

Remember way back when 4 days without Erasers made me ready to pee in my pants? Yeah well, it's been a little longer than that, and I'm just not sure how safe we really are. And I am hoping that Flyboys don't come blow up this wonderful Russian palace (I think it's the Kremlin, but don't take my word on it).

"Are you sure you want to be hooked up with the media?" Vera asked.

"Yeah, I think we are. Just wait until we've got the disguise thing ready – I'm incredibly Camera shy." I hated saying that, and yes, I _am_ aware hate is a very strong word.

"We understand." Vince said before pulling out a piece of blank paper. "Do you know what media station's you want?"

"Uh…what do you mean? Like the BBC, or NBC, ABC, CBN type things?" I hadn't really thought about that.

"How about you just hook us up with as many news people as you can, internationally. And give us a list of major broadcasters that you can't help with." Iggy had a million watt smile, and he was showing it off.

"We can do that."

"Ig, what are we going to do with that?" Fang's eyebrows raised just the slightest little bit.

Iggy's smile grew even wider, if that were possible. "Your blog - we can see if someone has connections. Most of the people on there have pledged you their life you know - and I think Germany proved that with awesome Humvee girl." Will we ever forget Humvee girl? Is she one of the highlights of our lives? Yeah, probably. I might not be alive if it wasn't for her, so yet again if you are out there somewhere reading this we are totally at your mercy.

"Plus don't forget a lot of people said that in their e-mails. That we could stay at there house, or they would die for Max and us to live, those where a little radical but its nice to be appreciated. So many people said that they would do anything they could for us to help. And its kind of self-preservation to want to help the people saving your hide. At least I hope that's second nature to most people - it should be if it isn't." Nudge just couldn't stay quite, poor girl.

"Um…thanks." I have to say something about my whole safety, I just have that feeling, Flyboys are scary thing. Just how?

"We might have bad news." Emil said after a few minutes of awkward silence.

Oh shoot. "Yeah?" I gulped, as the flock tensioned.

"One of our Glavkomat troops shot down a big pack of robots, who where armed, and heading towards us." Emil was dead serious.

"Do you have any pictures?" I asked, they sound like Flyboys-armed robots. "Where they like flying when you Glavko people attacked? Did anyone notice an Itexicon emblem on one of them?"

"We have photographs." Emil passed us a manila folder, that I hurriedly snatched up and looked through, passing some pictures to Fang, who passed to everyone else.

Just as I'd feared staring up at me page after page where crisp images of massacred Flyboys.

"None of our men where injured, but the whole Glavkomat is one alert." Emil looked from me to Fang, and back to me. "Do you know what these things are?"

"Yeah." Fang sounded grim.

"We should probably leave the palace for it, yours, and Russia's, safety." I attempted to say this with confidence, like I knew it was the right thing. Even though I haven't really been sure of anything lately.

"No, No. Don't go. We Russia and our entire military force are at your service. The Glavkomat are glad to be on alert if it helps you." Vince said, glancing at Emil. I guess in Russia the President is in charge of Military 'Commander in Chief' just like back in the US.

"Of course, we are allies. And like Nudge said - it should be nature to help the people saving our lives." Emil's eyes where deep with emotion as he said this.

"Thanks - but are you sure? We can be pretty high maintenance." Am I really doing this?

I glance over to Fang, who nodded. Then looked over the flock, they where tense now, but they were also at home, comfortable. Angel had chosen Emil - like animals (stray dogs particularly) will often adopt their owners as much as they are adopted by their owners. Something in our instincts told up Emil and Vera where the right people, and sometimes instincts are just too good to be ignored.

"We are positive." Both men said together.

"Isaak should be here in little less than half of and hour." Emil said.

"Who's Isaak?" I asked, as politely as I could.

"The Commander in Chief of the Glavkomat." Emil answered.

Okay, take back what I said about the President being Commander in Chief, but I still think Emil hold more military power than Vince, just cause he was doing most of the talking.

"Do you mind me asking what the Glavkomat are? Or who they are?" That might be nice to know.

"The Glavkomat are like our National Guard, or Ground Forces."

"Okay."

Then we took recess mostly because we were waiting for this Isaak person, but also cause the flock can't sit that still for too long.

"That went well." Fang stated as we were walking in circles in the giant entry hall.

"It did." I guess, they could have told us to get the heck out of the country on account of the Flyboys or something. Or refused anymore help. I think Emil and Vera really care about us, while Vince is happy to help (not sure how much of that is just self preservation, but it's surely appreciated).

"Max?" Gazzy walked over to me. "How come I haven't been able to say much in there?"

I rubbed his head, "I don't know, ask yourself, I never said you couldn't."

"But they don't talk to us; they talk to you and Fang."

"Gasman when have we followed the rule speak when spoken to? Your opinion means just as much as mine, Fang, or Iggy's." I bent down smiling "Just sometimes I might trump you."

"I know that." Gazzy said, smiling a smile that just reminded me how much I loved the guts out of this kid.

"Hey maybe you will be able to talk more with Isaak, it sounds like he likes big booms. And military stuff."

Gazzy just nodded before wandering off towards Iggy.

"Max?" This time Angel came over.

"Yeah sweetie?"

"The Russian government confuses me."

"It confuses me too, but maybe I could help." Right…

"Well, Emil seems to be in charge, the big shebang. Yet Vince seems to have more power, or knowledge or something. Actually Emil keeps thinking 'I'm glad I chose Vince last year, he certainly has shown his worth.' Max what does that mean? And just when I thought I had it figured out this Isaak guy shows up. Can you help?"

"I'll try."

"So Emil is President?"

"As far as I know."

"And Vince is Prime Minister?"

"I'm pretty sure."

"Okay so what's a Prime Minister do?"

Good question see this is one of the times when I think I should have gone to school. "Well in England he'd kind of be like America's President I think. But I think technically he is like the senior member of cabinet in a parliamentary system. Don't ask what a cabinet, or what parliament is, or if Russia has parliament cause I truly don't know."

"Makes some sense, so Vince is like a vice-president?"

"No." Me and politics don't mix. "Vince is like supreme justice; just he is running a country not a court system. Not that there's much of a difference."

"Oh, I get that. And this General Isaak guy is a big wig who is in charge of their National Guard?"

"Sounds right."

"Max this is why I like living the secluded life."

Since when did six year olds, excuse me _seven_ year olds, know and use the word secluded?

"Max, most seven year olds don't read minds." Angel reminded me as she smiled sweetly.

Right. "Well I am not a citizen of hither, nor thither; I am a citizen of the world." Some famous quote that is definitely true, and I like normal haven't a clue who said that.

"We are true citizens of the world." Angel grabbed my hand. "The Isaak guy is here."

"Thanks sweetie."

Angel makes my head hurt sometimes.

Sitting back in the conference room we got comfy, as a big brad shouldered man with pepper hair, and a baby's face came in. He was in full military uniform, and carried a fat brief case, that meant we were going to talk about something.

**Sources- Wikipedia and /military/russia.**

**Let me know what you think! **

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	40. Chapter 40

"You are the Yankee, no

**I said I'd write what I could when I could, and so I have. Though warning this chapter is NOT very interesting, but it is totally setting up for really exciting stuff!!**

**So please bear with me? And a motivational review would be nice.**

"Isaak, right?" I stuck my hand out in attempt at being polite. "Max."

"Pleasure to meet you Max." He said in a heavily Russian acy cent, pumping my hand.t

"We have much to talk about Max." The Isaak guy swung his brief case up on the table. "For starters, we have the country completely secure, or at least we feel we do. Would you mind looking for loop holes?"

I was personally a little taken aback, since when did big government big-wig generals go looking to kids for help in National security? Now, I guess.

"Sure… You secured the country that quickly? The Flyboys were only found this morning."

"We take security very seriously here, especially if it has to do with keeping the world's only hope at survival safe."

"Uh...thanks." I glanced over at Gazzy who was leaning eagerly into the table. "Lets see those plans of yours then."

"Right away." General Isaak opened his brief case, and pulled out about a dozen detailed maps of Russia. "We are here." Isaak pointed to a green triangle on one of the maps. "We have troops surrounding the entire city." His finger carefully traced the green triangle.

"That's good." Gazzy said. "Do they focus surveillance on the sky? Flyboys tend to like to fly in, but they _are_ also capable of coming in via road."

"We have all major roads entering or exiting the city being carefully watched."

"And how are you watching them?" Iggy inquired.

Isaak pulled another map to the surface. "This is a map of the city." he stated. "Here are all of the major roads entering the city." He pointed to some thick red lines, and traced them with his finger. "Troops are standing here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and here." Isaak showed us where the troops where stationed on each road.

Every road had two check points. The first check point, Isaak had explained, every vehicle larger than a standard SUV would be pulled over and checked. At the second check point all vehicles (besides the large vehicles passed by check point one) that had more than one passenger, and no children would be checked. The checks at check point two simply required the vehicle to role down its windows while the troops men would do a head count. Every vehicle passed also received a tag, which they could give into work as a tardy excuse because the commute times had been greatly increased with no notice.

"And you have the man power for this?"

"Yes, of course."

"What are the men who are out there doing the patrolling being told?"

"They all know about the Flyboy incident, and they all know that they are a threat to national security. They do not know why, nor anything about you."

"Good, good." Iggy murmured, he seemed mid thought. "Max, what if they upgrade, to something bigger or badder that we don't know what to look for? Remember, a normal human would never have been able to spot an Eraser, unless they were morphed. How can we be sure everything will be caught?"

"Iggy's right, there is no way you can really be secure from Itex. Just when you think you've got them figured out they figure out some other way to mess with your head."

"We thought about that." Emil assured us, "but why don't you let Isaak get to that."

"I'm listening." I turned back to Isaak and his maps.

"So as you see we have the city relatively secured. Though we also want then entire

country secured, it is important that the enemy does not even enter our soil. So a plan simulator the cities security is in place, however we will be using the customs already in place, just adding the people scan."

"That might just work." Iggy rubbed his hands together. "Gaz, do you remember that weird feeling you got, that last time when you set the bomb off on the Flyboys, and didn't get away fast enough?"

"Yeah why?" Gazzy waited for Iggy to answer, but instead went "Oh! You said it was something with radiation. Like the Flyboy's had an already high radiation level, and the bomb made me feel it or something."

"Yeah, along those lines." Iggy nodded. "And don't customs have a radiation scanner thing?"

"Yes, actually we do." Isaak looked like he was about to hug Iggy. "And we could skip all of the passenger checking, and just pull over all vehicles that have an unnatural radiation reading."

"Exactly." Iggy was smiling.

"Great, so what about if something slips through? And doesn't Russia like have Itex factories and labs? And...uh schools?"

"Itex runs no schools in Russia." Vince said matter a factually.

"No not like that kind of school-" I searched for the words.

"Oh." Vince bowed his head "Sorry, you meant like an illegal facility, like you were...created in."

"Exactly."

"We will do our best to find them, and shut them down." Emil promised.

"We know will." Angel assured him "Its just that they are all over the world and no one ever seems to be able to do anything. The US, doesn't even really know about them, you apparently weren't aware of them until we came along, all over, it's really scary."

"I know sweetie." I brushed Angel's hair back.

"We'll do our best." Emil said again.

"As for the known ones," Isaak picked up "we are in the process of seizing control of them. Meaning the factory workers will still have jobs, but Itex will be officially out of business. All of the labs have been marked for closure, and all government funding has been withdrawn."

"Isn't that economically bad?"

"In a way yes."

"Thanks then."

"You're very welcome."

"And we still haven't gotten to what happens if they do slip through."

"Well, we are increasing all government official security, and we were, at least I was, hoping that you would accept a personal guard of your own." Isaak asked carefully, very carefully, and I'll give him credit, he had reason to.

Fang, beside me went rigid, "A _wha_t?"

"A personal guard, to assure your safety. I have taken it upon myself to select some of the most trustworthy men and women we have. We were thinking that you could look through them, choose some you want to meet, and from them choose your guard."

"We can take care of ourselves thank you very much." Nudge spoke. "If we needed a personal guard or whatever we wouldn't be alive. Max has survived gun shot wounds, Fang has survived being mauled _twice,_ and the rest of us have been able to keep our ground. And all of us have survived the School itself."

"We know, think of it as a precaution, to put you slightly at ease." Isaak wasn't quite sure how to act.

"Well what if this guard of yours kills us in our sleep, or something?" Gazzy asked. I was proud, everyone was proceeding with caution, no matter how nice this guard might sound.

"Like I said, I have selected some of our most trust worthy, you can choose from them."

"And what if you aren't to be trusted?" I retorted.

"Max," Angel pulled on my sleeve, "he's telling the truth."

"Thanks Ange, but..."

"Why don't you think about it and let me know?"

"We'll do that." I got up, and left. I needed air and time to think.

**So-how terrible was it? I'll try and hurry up my terribly slow writing process. On lighter note, hows school going for everyone?? **

**Pretty Please Review-with a...watermelon on top.**


	41. Chapter 41

**If you want an explanation, ask. If not enjoy the story, and read on.**

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If you, unlike me, pay any attention to the weather it would be clear to you that today didn't have very good flying conditions. Correction, today's flying conditions where just plain _dangerous_. It was freaking freezing cold, moisture level high, flurries here and there, strong winds, and to top it all off, at least a foot of snow on the ground. There were so many dangers, like if the moisture in the air condensed on my wings and then froze in the cold air - I'd pretty much fall out of the sky. Or if it started to flurry and it became hard for me to see, or if a gust of wind.... Yeah pretty much I shouldn't go flying.

However I tend to often shirk my own safety measures, so I simply ignored the weather.

After storming out of the meeting room, I ran to get my coat, and then jumped out a window unfurling my wings. Ah the joys of flying!

"Max! Wait up..." I vaguely heard Fang call from the distance, but I was out of there, leaving no time for him or anyone in the flock to catch up. I needed alone time.

As I coasted around the sky, I let my mind wander, not paying any attention to saving the world, or personal guards, or _anything_ for that matter.

_Hello Max._

_Jeb. Shut up and get out of my head. _I thought, hoping he could hear the bitterness behind the words.

_It's__ important._

_Yada yada. GET. OUT. OF. MY. HEAD. _I was caught off guard by an upward draft. "Oh crap." I muttered as I righted myself.

_You might want to listen._

_Yeah as if._

I tried to block out Jeb, and went into a dive bomb, tunneling down from the sky then barely saving myself and shooting back up. A peal of laughter escaped me, as I felt Jeb's presence leave my head alone.

Then things took a turn for the worse.

"Found her Joe."

"Great, take aim."

Two male voices in perfect American accents met my ears.

Suddenly I saw a red laser dot scanning the cloud beside me before setting down right on my chest.

"Oh- **insert a cuss word of your choice here****-**!"I flew up, to the left, to the right, but whoever was trying to tag me was a good aim and the dot followed me.

"Why haven't you shot?"

"The freak keeps moving, can't get a good aim."

"Well you've got more than one bullet Malcom."

"Yeah but we don't want to frighten her, you've read the thing's file."

"She won't think of it."

What could I do what could I do? Suddenly an idea hit me-I've got super speeds, just let it rip and I'd be home free. One problem, it had started to flurry, my muscles where starting to cramp, plus I couldn't fly into clouds and going super speed makes it hard to navigate.

"Бросьте пистолет! Оружие запрещyено в данном районе." A third voice drifted up to me. Obviously he was Russian.

"Malcom hurry up and shoot her already."

BOOM!

I prepared to be shot out of the sky, but instead the laser dot disappeared from my chest.

"Damn it Malcom!" one of the Americans from below screamed. "Take care of the girl! Before we get shot!"

"Well then you take care of our friend here."

"Yankees, this is not humorous. Deadly things aren't allowed in the possession of deportees." the Russian said.

"To hell with you."

"I order you to stop!" The Russian had a thick accent and I could tell he was nervous, and upset. "Or I will shoot."

"You can't shoot us." An American let out a choking laugh "cause you'll be dead first."

I flew down so they were better in my sight. One of the men dressed in khakis and black shirt reached into his pocket. The other had a white coat on, and was holding a sniper rifle with a bullet hole in the shaft.

"Today keeps getting better and better doesn't it?" I muttered.

"You idiot!" the one without white coat yelled. "Malcom! You didn't give me ammo!"

"Right, well your rifle isn't shot." the one with the white coat who I took to be Malcom said.

"Now put your hands in the air and weapons on the ground." The Russian man ordered.

Sadly I don't think whitecoats obey that kind of order. So without the danger of guns I landed and took action.

"которые вы?" the Russian guy asked.

"Huh?" I shrugged my shoulders before dodging a punch being through by the guy with out a whitecoat. "I speak English?" I offered since the guard seemed to be bilingual.

"Who are you?"

"Max, Maximum Ride."

"Very well, this is a dangerous situation Max, go back with your family and wait to be deported."

"Deported? I don't think so!" I smiled at him before punching Malcom in the gut, manly because he was attempting to punch me. "I am a guest of President Emil, and under the orders of General Isaak I was told to help you keep the scientist under control." You know I really should pay attention to peoples last names; it would make things in situations like this so much more believable.

"General Isaak? As in General Isaak Rubias?"

"That's the guy." I hope.

"They sent a kid? How did they even know? This lab was just found an hour ago!"

"Found?" Could this be a School? "It's a long story. But would you mind helping me get these guys in hand cuffs or somethin'?"

"Of course."

So I got Malcom secured and handcuffed within like five minutes. But the other guy was proving more of a challenge. When the Russian guy was taking Malcom away and I was tangoing with the other dude, he pulled a knife.

He held it right into my abdomen. "Any last words freak?"

Before I could even react there was a loud crack, blood spewed up into my face and I saw the whitecoat fall dead, eyes rolling back into his head, knife falling down with him.

I stood there stunned.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah..." I tried to find my tongue. "Tha...thanks."

"A young lady like yourself shouldn't have to die that way."

"...sure." I looked between the Russian and the dead man.

"I...need you to come with me." I managed to get the words out.

"Why?"

"Orders from General Rubias."

"Of course. How did you get here? Where did you come from? And why do I trust you?"

"You trust me because I am you only hope for survival, and so far Russians have seemed to like me. You believe me because I speak nothing but the truth. I come from a top secret meeting with General Isaak Rubias, President Emil, and Prime Minister Vince. And I flew here."

"I hear no helicopter."

"With my wings." I opened my wings.

"Oh."

"And if you can't be trusted, because I showed you that, I might have to kill you."

"You can trust me."

"Good, now do you have a Jeep?"

"I might get one."

"Good. Now you said you found this facility about an hour ago?"

"Yes."

"And you are in the process of deporting the workers?"

"Yes."

"Are they all American?"

"No, all different peoples, some Russian."

"Okay. I assume you are also searching the campus?"

"Of course."

"Have you found any...live experiments?"

The Russian shrugged "I don't know. I just patrol."

"Great. Let's get that Jeep, General Rubias is expecting us."

"Yes miss." The Russian said "Just one question, why me?"

"Because you saved my life."

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**So? was it at least 1/2 way worth the wait? no? well they will get tatoos soon, just wait a few more chapters. patience with me please. and thank you.**

**you know i want reviews, so if its not to much to ask just press the pretty green button conviently located at the bottom of the page, in the center.**

**THANK YOU ALL!!!  
**


	42. Chapter 42

**Boo! **

**I hope you reviewed the chapter before, because if not I here by hold the right to throw stale muffins in your face. Um yea I know this is on the shorter side, but the second part will read better, as a second part-and I'm waiting for the next chapter that I am going to stick that to back from my beta (the awesomely patient, Roo) so it will be up and you will get to see my pure genius (yes I a gloating). Anyways I am back in the game be expecting me. **

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"Max!" Nudge came running at me upon my entrance, hugging me nearly off my feet. "You look horrible. What happened? Eww, gross, is that blood?"

"Long story." I shook my head.

"Oh." Nudge stepped back and looked me over again.

I must admit though that she had the right to, I did look a mess. I was soaked to the bone, my hair was falling out of my pony-tail in little chunks, I was caked in mud and of course there was the blood.

"Have you made your decision?" Fang asked from his corner of the spectacular entry hall.

"Yes."

"And it is?" Iggy questioned.

"We are getting a personal guard."

Everyone looked at me, clearly stunned.

"Is that a choice?" Gazzy asked.

I shook me head, feeling as if I was abandoning my family, "No, it's an order."

"Why?" Fang stared at me the same stare that wrenched my guts, that broke my heart.

"Because."

"You sound like a parent." Iggy complained.

"Yeah like Anne did." Gazzy added.

I saw Fang flinch.

"Give me a sec to explain then." I threw up my arms in exasperation, and the turned around and stuck my head out of the door, calling Privet Kenneth Zathar. "This guy basically saved my life." I said as he walked into the room. "As you know flying in this weather is dangerous enough as it is, but to add to it in my fury I flew over an Itex operation that has already been foiled by Russia. Two of the whitecoats saw me and armed them selves with sharp-shooting rifles. The laser even found me, I couldn't get away it had started to flurry."

I paused for a second to check reactions, Nudge and Angel we leaning forward listening carefully. Gazzy looked at me with an expression somewhere in between awe and quizzical. While Fang and Iggy had their arms crossed, everything about them said 'skeptical, proceeding with caution'.

"Here's the thing though, the two whitecoats weren't even supposed to be able to see the sky. The Russian troops in the area had rounded all of the scientist and other people on the facility up and were in the process of taking care of them. These two had apparently escaped the round ups which allowed them to see me. Privet Zathar who was making his rounds around the premises had seen them. He doing his job stopped them and ordered them to drop their weapons. His distraction gave me the chance to land, and take care of the situation myself. I helped handcuff the first one, and was working on the second one in hand-to-hand, which explains most of the mud, when he pulled a knife. Privet Zathar who was taking the first white-coat to the area where they were being held saw the second one pull the knife on me and shot at him.

"You all know how much I despise guns, and how much I am against trusting soldiers to protect us. However I think we need the help this time. Privet Kenneth Zathar saved my life, and will be the first addition to our guard."

Iggy rolled his eyes, "Max, come on the poor guy was just doing his job."

"He didn't even know who I was Ig, and he saved me from death via whitecoat."

"Exactly, he would have saved you no matter, he was doing his job."

"Okay so maybe he was just doing his job but this whole thing means we need some kind of protection other than our own paranoia."

"Maybe, but Max you were the one who decided to go flying in a snow storm - you could have avoided the whitecoats all together if you had seen the snow." Nudge pointed out.

Iggy nodded "Right, and then you could have flown higher so they couldn't see you."

"But guys, the fact is I _couldn't do that_, and I needed to cool down. And we also know for a fact Itex has people here. We need the help. Come on guys, please?" I was at the end of my rope, today had been rough, and now I was ready to steep to all time lows.

"No." Fang's voice was rough, and final.

"Fang..." I began, but only to be cut off by Zathar.

"Miss, I was under impression I was coming under the orders of General Rubias."

"Uh, yeah you are, just my companions haven't quiet agreed on whether we should follow the orders or not yet."

Zathar shook his head "Choose to follow orders? What are you?"

"Maximum Ride." I answered, as if that explained everything, "And yeah we do get to choose, it is kinda backwards. Um, General Rubias is still waiting for us, but if you don't mind I need to finish this up first." I tried to smile, and be sincere towards Zathar.

"Take time." He nodded and took soldiers stance.

I turned my attention back to Fang.

"Max you are crazy if you expect me to accept this."

"Fang, it's in our best interest."

"Right, and so was going with Anne, and so was adopting Ari, and so was trusting Jeb again, and so was..."

"Okay, okay I've made poor choices before but we are all alive aren't we?" I put my hands on my hips, "And trusting Ari was NOT a mistake, he was seven, he expired, he fought for us to the end."

Fang smirked, "So I mistook Ari, what about everything else?"

"Well let's see, Anne worked out in the end, in its own twisted way. Like Iggy found his biological parents, and we got one step closer to where we are now, we got a lot of research done. Trusting Jeb again was a mistake, but Fang look, I'm pretty sure Jeb is just one big mistake that walks around on two legs; he should be in a mental institution not jail. Anyways he is useful, sometimes."

"Operative word Max, sometimes."

"Yeah well nothing is perfect, we _are_ getting a personal guard, and there is nothing you can do about it."

"Really?" Fang cocked his eye brows and started to move briskly to the door.

My stomach knotted and if it was even possible to drop lower it would have. I even got a little dizzy. He had promised he wouldn't leave again, he had promised. A mixture of anger, self-pity, sorrow, helplessness, and more anger filled my being.

"Fang!" I screeched turning into harpy lady, "You promised." I ran over to him "And no kid raised with me breaks a promise." I clasped onto his shirt, "If you take another step I swear, I swear... I don't know what I swear but just know I do. You promised."

Fang turned and looked at me, a broken heart gleamed in his eyes but his voice was stone cold as it reverberated around me, "Get off."

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**Chill. Well the more you review the sooner the next chapter will be up. **

**Not really, but as soon as I get it back, I swear it will be posted for all the loyal people out there that I am in debt to. And for those of you expexting stale muffins in your faces I might just demote myself to pokes if you review this time, and give everyone who review here a not-so-stale, but freshly baked muffin.**

**I love you all, for making it this far with me. Review rewarded.**

**A.  
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	43. Chapter 43

**LONG TIME I KNOW-but it has its reasons, and all...**

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The rest of my strength nearly drained from my body, the world didn't seem real.

"I'm sorry Max, I am not trusting some soldier robots with my life." He tugged himself free from my limp grip.

"Guys cut it out." It was Iggy, "Fang look at what you're doing. Max, at least _think_about a compromise. And for god's sake would both of you please pull yourselves together, you've got kids watching."

Standing there I felt my legs go out from underneath me, Angel squealed, and Iggy carefully helped me up.

"Look I want this guard less than you, but dude you promised, we promised, to never split again." Iggy said to Fang. "Please look at what your doing, remember what you told me, well I don't think I'd blame her if this is how you show it." Iggy's voice was final as he helped me to the stairs, to sit.

"Ig I know, but-"Fang's voice broke.

"Fang, it's your choice - just think about what you're doing." Iggy said, walking over to his friend and brother.

Angel tugged on my shirt, before sitting in my lap, "Max," she whispered into my ear "everything is going to be okay, Fang loves you."

Not knowing what else to do I hugged Angel, I held my baby like the world was going to end.

More words passed between Fang and Iggy, while I sat there clutching Angel, Gazzy and Nudge standing casually off to the side, and Private Zathar standing at attention the whole time.

"Max." Fang whispered, still standing in the doorway, "Max, I'm sorry." He turned around and floated around me, and up the stairs.

"Fang, wait." My voice quivered. "I didn't react much better; it's not your fault. Maybe we could just up extra security around the places we are normally."

"Maybe." Fangs voice was still soft, and very un-Fang-ish.

Carefully I lifted Angel off my lap and went up the stairs to Fang.

We stood there awkwardly for a few seconds, and then I embraced him. "Thank you." I whispered in his ear.

He nodded still stiff, but his arms had moved around my waste.

Remembering the last time we had hugged like this I added "At least your face isn't a lumpy plum pie now."

He tightened his hold around me for a second and then we both with drew and went our separate ways. Fang to his room, me to deal with the chaos I had created.

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**Plums pies for everyone!!! Who can tell me where that came from-did you catch it???**

**PLEASE REVIEW**

**and Roo-me awesomely pacient-pwsh, naw-I'm the one who takes FOREVER to write the stuff down in the first place! **

**everyone else, yeah I'm still sorry I take forever, I love this story, it is my life line-and you guys are its air...so yeah just had to say that.**

**PLEASE REVIEW, again.**

**A.  
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	44. Chapter 44

**AND BAMB, like that its up, I'm on a roll. Now lets see how long it will last??? **

**I can wait for the next chapter its been haunting my sleep for like months, so if that gives you any clues, hopefully it will be written and up SOON-ish.**

**I love you all, and hope you enjoy!**

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"It's the end of the world as we know it.

It's the end of the world as we know it.

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.'t

It's the end of the world as we know it.

It's the end of the world as we know it.

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.

It's the end of the world as we know it..."

"Gazzy! Enough already." I snapped at the eight year old (or maybe he too was a year older now) who was still standing casually next to Nudge on the landing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Sorry, Max." Gazzy tried to grin for me, which only made my heart swell. Why can't drama go find itself a nice little hole to live in somewhere and stop following me around?

"Its fine Gaz, I'm just a bit on edge."

"I know." the Gasman nodded. "Are you okay though?"

"Yes." I sighed and descended the stairs. "I've got to take care of some stuff now; how bout you guys go do something fun?"

"Like what?" Nudge asked.

"Play some more tag."

"Ugh , uh." Total voiced.

"Where have you been?" I asked.

"Right here all along miss, forget about me the cute little Scottish terrier."

"Sorry Total. Just find something to do alright?" I asked, trying to keep my patience.

"Sure." Ig said, ushering everyone up stairs, while I counted my blessing that Iggy had my back today.

I walked over to Private Zathar. "So are you ready to meet the General?" I asked him.

"Yes miss."

"Great then follow me."

I walked briskly to the room where we had held the meeting earlier that day. I could here Emil, Vince, and Isaak talking in rushed Russian. I slammed the doors open, and made my entrance.

"Max!" Emil sounded surprised. "Are you alright?" Concern was etched in his voice.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"See this is why you need a guard." Isaak slammed his fist down of the table. "You've got blood all over you. What happened?"

"I made some careless mistakes." I attempted to smile, yet another time today. "It would have been my own blood but one of your men kind of saved my life." I drew everyone's attention away from my deranged appearance to Private Kenneth Zathar.

"Truth?" Vince asked.

"Yeah, Private Zathar was patrolling one of the Itex sights you have already found. He caught two whitecoats that were trying to get me, and that is why we are here." I shifted my weight weighting for someone to say something.

Finally Isaak slammed his fist down on the table. "Хорошая работа Привет! Вы служить вам стране хорошо. Max would you agree with me that this Private deserves a promotion?"

I nodded "Yes I would." I let out a sigh.

Zathar bowed his head "Спасибо общего."

"And the Guard?" Isaak looked at me.

I shifted my weight again, and wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. "It's a no go. However we have decided to up security, around the palace, and any place else the Flock has been or might be." I let it all out very quickly in one breath. The men in the room all looked at each other for what felt like a century "It is a compromise." I added quickly, feeling sort of foolish.

Emil nodded "That sounds fair to me."

Isaak, who was slightly more charismatic than Emil, banged the table again "Of course that sounds just fine. We will find the best of the best. Your privacy will not in anyway be..."he paused searching for the right word "…disturbed."

"And Zathar will be part of it?" I ventured, still nervous.

"Of course." Isaak waved his hands "What ever makes you feel safe."

"Thank you." I let out yet another sigh.

"Zathar come sit, as we finalize plans, Max, go clean yourself up. Vera would have a fit if she saw you in this state." Emil ordered.

Out of character I followed these orders and went to take a nice long refreshing shower before curling up on a couch with a good book.

I would never wish for any other life than the one I lead with Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel, plus the other people I loved and helped us. Just sometimes I wished it didn't have to be so damned difficult.

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**So, how'd yeah like??? Huh, huh?**

**I guess now, is the time to mention I have a teensie weensie, side story here, Maximum Ride: Vampire Bunnies, its a Twilight, Max crossover, even though I'm not that big on crossovers, I am probably also one of the worlds biggest hypocrits-I'd make a GREAT politician if I was anygood with deadlines. So for what its worth, you might want to check it out, you might not-its your choice. **

**And sorry this is another short chapter, just the past three worked best serarate so...yeah thats how they are and thats why they are posted in three. **

**REVIEWS, LOVED, APPRECIATED, AND WANTED. so please review.**

**A.**

**p.s. also wanting to thank everyone for hanging in with me for this Ride of a story.  
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